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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28196952">Percy Jackson: A Gamer's Journey</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mhc007/pseuds/mhc007'>mhc007</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson &amp; The Olympians (Movies), Percy Jackson RPG, Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Multi, Work In Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:55:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>63,577</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28196952</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mhc007/pseuds/mhc007</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy Jackson is granted the powers of a gamer by the Fates. Follow Percy's crazy adventure through the game called life where life-death situations are treated as a common occurrence, monsters run free and the son of Poseidon is armed with new powers. Percy x Hestia x Artemis. Gamer!Percy. Eventual OP! Lemons will be there later.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Artemis/Percy Jackson, Hestia/Percy Jackson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Beginning of the Journey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A/N</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Hello everyone! Just wanted to clear out a few things before the start of the story. </em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>The initial chapters are inspired from the canon and 'Percy Jackson and the Game' by 'imjusttryingtofindmyway'. This was used as a building base since this is the first time I am writing a fic and I have no qualms about this. However, I do ask you to be patient since the fic is very different down the line. </em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>This fic is available on ffn, webnovel and wattpad as well under the same book and author name. You can see how the chapters turn out by tuning to the latest ones.</em> </strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Disclaimer : I do not own PJO or any of its characters.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Journey</strong>
</p><p>Percy yawned as he sat on his seat as the lecture droned on. He was currently in class at Yancy Academy with Grover sitting beside him. He did not know how long it had passed since the class began, all sense of time seemed lost to him as he kept fidgeting on his seat ever since class began.</p><p>"Mr. Jackson, if I would have your attention please?", called Mr. Brunner as he just finished his lecture on the First Titanomachy.</p><p>"Sorry. What was it that you were saying?", Percy replied.</p><p>"What events led to the defeat of Kronos during the First Titan War?"</p><p>"It all started when a prophecy was issued by the Fates that Kronos' rule would end the same way he ended his father's - by one of his children cutting him to pieces with the very same scythe he used on his father Ouranos."</p><p>"Correct. And what is the the significance of Greek Mythology in the modern world?"</p><p>Percy thought for a moment before answering, "I honestly do not see the relevance since this is of a time long past gone and doesn't seem as important as other subjects such as tax planning or savings which would be helpful in the modern world."</p><p>Mr. Brunner simply raised an eyebrow at that. "Mr. Jackson, they affect the world in more ways than one", he replied mysteriously.</p><p>Percy being Percy simply overlooked it while Grover seemed a little pale from what just transpired.</p><p>Soon classes ended and everyone went their way to go about their day at the academy.</p><hr/><p>Far away from Earth in a remote place unknown to all save for its occupants sat three old ladies - one spun a thread while another worked the loom and measured the thread while the last one cut it as per requirements.</p><p>These were the three Moirai - Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos.</p><p>Suddenly a message popped up seemingly out of nowhere and landed in front of them. It had two simple words. But these words carried much more power and meaning than they appeared to.</p><p>'It's time'.</p><p>Lachesis took out a sea-green thread and it glowed an ethereal sea green light. Little did anyone know that this seemingly small action had more depth than anything ever. This would change the fate of the entire world itself and it rested on one particular 12 year old demigod - Perseus Jackson.</p><p>"Perhaps it is quite early for him to enter this life", mused Clotho.</p><p>"It may be but even grandmother knows how important it is. We must follow her wishes for Perseus has a major role to play in what is to come soon" said Lachesis.</p><p>Atropos remained indifferent and ignored her sisters while she continued cutting threads of various colours and sizes. If one looked closer, one would notice a hint of foreboding on her face for what was to come for the young demigod.</p><p>Seeing the sisters conversing like this with regular expressions compared to their stoic masks in front of the general populace would've made any person in the supernatural world sweat profusely and sent into a state of worry.</p><p>"He has a long road ahead. I hope he is up to the task", said Clotho as the light died down.</p><hr/><p>Percy awoke the next day with a sea green screen floating in front of him with ancient Greek runes running along its borders with a simple message displayed - 'Welcome to the supernatural, Perseus Jackson'</p><p>Percy stood there for a moment just trying to make sense of what exactly was going on. He tried rubbing his eyes, squinting and even went as far as slapping himself - hard just to make sure that he was't actually dreaming. Regardless of how hard he tried, there was no denying that the screen was there right in front of him with its beautiful runes lazily spinning.</p><p>Hesitantly, he reached out and touched the screen not expecting it to work mid-air but to his surprise the screen faded before the next screen popped open.</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of ? </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of ? and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in ? and ? He has a natural affinity with ? due to his heritage which grants him control over ? and ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Race : ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp - 10 / 270</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 250 / 250</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 250 / 250</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 1</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 1</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 1</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $0 / D0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : None</strong>
</p><p>Percy had had his fair share of experiences whilst living with his mom and Gabe in New York but nothing could ever prepare him for the information displayed right in front of him. He sat there gobsmacked trying to make head and tail of the screen. Just as his thoughts could drift any wilder, suddenly he felt a sense of calm wash over him making him focus on what was in front of him and rationalise things with a clear mind. Suddenly, a notification popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind Activated! (click for more information)</strong>
</p><p>Hesitantly, he reached out and clicked it.</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind is a skill which is always active. This helps the player to always stay calm and to logically comprehend the situation. Grants immunity to any psychological attacks and negates any effects. </strong>
</p><p>"Huh", Percy thought. It was certainly quite a useful skill one which would help in quite a few situations. Just as he was about to explore more of it, Grover's voice rang out.</p><p>"Percy? Are you alright? You have been staring at the ceiling for the past 15 minutes."</p><p>Percy realised that Grover could not see the screen which meant that only he was the one who had access to it.</p><p>"Yeah, I am fine. Nothing going on." Percy decided to keep this a secret at the moment lest people think he was going to be even more stupid than he already was. He did not want to imagine himself being shipped to a mental facility for what he was seeing at the moment.</p><p>"Let's get ready unless you're looking for another detention for arriving late to class", the ever worrying Grover replied.</p><p>Percy threw on his uniform as he and Grover walked out of their shared dorm towards another day of inevitable torture. Little did he know that his life was going to change in more ways than one.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>A/N </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>I will be updating this fic weekly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If you have any suggestions, reviews or anything, please be candour and let me know! I will surely look into it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Until next time.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Discovery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N</p><p>I have created a discord server for this fic. It's basically for providing updates, providing feedbacks, chilling etc.</p><p>h t t p s : / / d i s c o r d . g g / P Z P b B 5 S f 7 2</p><p>(remove the spaces ofc)</p>
<hr/><p>As classes ended, Percy walked quickly to his room and plopped on his bed eager to find out more about this newfound 'thing'.</p><p>Notifications kept popping up during the day but Percy avoided them to avoid getting into any more trouble since he already had ADHD and if kept gesturing in the air for no apparent reason, people would think he finally cracked and well, he avoided thinking more about it. Sure, he wasn't the sharpest but occasionally he was able to read the room so to speak.</p><p>Percy had no idea how to see the screen whenever he wanted to so he just imagined one in front of him. Lo and behold, the screen popped up in its glory with a few notifications awaiting his attention.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>Notification 1 </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You have gained 1 INT for attending classes and somewhat paying attention. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 1 + 1 = 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>..</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Notification 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>For reading a book, you have gained a new skill!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Language : </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 4 (-80% to all forms of English, +5% for every level gained)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>..</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Notification 3</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>For observing people around you, you have gained a new skill!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Information :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 1 - MP, HP and basic information.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>The plethora of information came as a surprise to Percy who honestly didn't expect all these things. He swiped the first two since they were pretty self explanatory. The third notification caught his eye. He tapped on it and the new information was then displayed.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe lets you detect a target and provides information about them. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy whistled as he read the information. This was certainly a useful skill for information gathering. He could use it in several situations. He dismissed the notifications and opened the main screen. His stats popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of ? </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of ? and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in ? and ? He has a natural affinity with ? due to his heritage which grants him control over ? and ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Race : ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp - 10 / 270</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 250 / 250</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 250 / 250</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 1</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 1</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $0 / D0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : None</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skills</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Language :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Information :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Looking at the hovering screen, a thought stuck Percy. This page looked just like one which he saw when he played a game. This meant that the system worked just like a game and that he was the 'gamer' in this case. Being the gamer meant he could have several abilities and unlock new ones, go on quests and receive rewards and the like. This also meant he could become better as a person and make his mom proud just as he always wanted and dreamt of.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>For thinking in a logical manner and drawing a fitting conclusion, you have gained 1 WIS. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 1 + 1 = 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy raised an eyebrow at that. Well, that was certainly interesting. A thought struck him. He quickly dismissed the screen and immediately hurried to one place that he never thought he would ever head to unless he was absolutely desperate or in a conundrum - the library.</p><p>As Percy entered the library, he walked around to one of the racks at the back and pulled out the first book in sight. It read - Myths and Stories of Ancient Greece. Just by reading the title he was bored out of his mind. Silently groaning he pulled out a chair, settled himself and started reading. After 2-3 chapters, he came across an image with Ancient Greek inscribed in it. As he watched it, the words suddenly flew to his mind and he was immediately able to read what was written.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill created!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Language :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Max Level</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy froze up as he read the notification. This was certainly not what he was expecting whilst reading a book. He quickly tapped the notification and his jaw dropped in shock.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max Level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to your birth, you have an inherent ability to read and speak Ancient Greek proficiently. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>From reading this, he was able to decipher that this particular trait was somewhat related to his origins. That meant that his father was Greek and therefore he inherited it from him. There really was no other explanation for it since he had never read Ancient Greek before today and he had gained a mastery over it in little more than a minute and just by looking at a piece of paper with a little text on it. Moreover, the gaming system said something about him entering the supernatural though that was still up for debate. For the moment, he entertained the notion of 'supernatural' and concluded that this ability was a gift more than anything.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>For masterfully breaking down a statement and arriving at a logical answer, you have gained 1 WIS.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 2 + 1 = 3</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>That did it. It just confirmed one part of what he wanted to know. Maybe just maybe he might finally be able to know who his father is after all these years. His mom always told him that she would tell him only when the time was right but the right time never came. Just before he could dwell more on it, he was brought out of his musings as another notification popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Find your true origins and your Father's name.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards -</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>100 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Information about your true origins</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Information about your abilities</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New Status</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive Skill</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy immediately tapped yes. He would certainly not look at the gift horse in its mouth. This was huge for him and he would do whatever it took to finally know his father. Gabe certainly wasn't someone who he would ever call his 'step-dad' or a human as a matter of fact. His mannerisms were easily that of an animal if he were to be honest with himself.</p><p>Letting go of that line of thought, he continued reading the book. Soon, he finished the book and was pleasantly surprised with the notification.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to constant reading, your skill in Modern English has increased. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English </strong>
</p><p><strong>Level 4 + 1 = 5</strong> <strong>(-75% to all forms of English, +5% for every level gained)</strong></p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy dismissed it and got back to reading. Soon, it was closing time and Percy had finished another book and had another 6 books ready for check out so that he could read it at night in his room. His skills increased too which was an added bonus for him.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to reading new books and learning more about the world, your skill has increased.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 5 + 1 = 6 (-70% to all forms of English, +5% for every level gained)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your intelligence has increased.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 2 + 1 = 3</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy was thinking as to how this increased so quickly and his brain returned with nothing. An idea popped up in his mind, who better than to ask someone who is interested in gaming? As if reading his thoughts, the gaming system immediately issued him another quest.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Discover how the gaming mechanism works.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>50 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Knowledge about the system</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>+2 LUC</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy raised an eyebrow yet again. He was pretty sure it was going to be the beginning of a new habit since the system seemed to be a smartass or simply read his thoughts every time. He sighed and accepted the quest. He knew just the person for it.</p><p>Percy walked to the dormitory building and knocked on the door of the one person who could be dubbed the God of Gaming in his school. This man somehow knew everything under the sun when it came to gaming. How he knew everything was beyond him. He knocked on the door and waited.</p><p>"Come in", came the reply.</p><p>As Percy walked in, he was immediately greeted by the sight of what one would expect from a gamer's room. A messy room was putting it lightly. The walls were filled with posters from different games which he couldn't begin to name. The floor was a literal dumpyard with packets, cans and the likes thrown carelessly. Percy didn't even feel like commenting about the odor. He simply left it at that.</p><p>To satiate his curiosity, Percy tried using <strong>Observe </strong>on Mark.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 150 / 150</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 0 / 0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark is Percy's friend who is very much in love with Gaming. He aims to become a professional gamer down the line and practices for it daily. He thinks highly of Percy.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to constant use, Observe has levelled up.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 2 - HP, MP, Species and other basic information.</strong>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>"Hey Mark, I need a bit of help about this new game I am playing", Percy said.</p><p>"Sure, what about it?" Mark replied.</p><p>"I made a character recently and tried making him read a book. Every time he read a book, his skills increased immediately without putting in much effort into it. Why is that?"</p><p>"Well, I am assuming your stats are still low from what you just told me. This is because the requirements needed to level up that particular trait are quite low initially due to you not being good at it. As time passes and you practice the same trait over and over, the requirements for levelling up will increase and thus, you will have a harder time doing those."</p><p>"What about ability points? What are those and how do you use them?"</p><p>"Ability points are usually gained once you level up your character. Think of them as boosts that will help your character become stronger quicker. But, just like your traits, as you level up, the XP requirements will also increase. So, it is better that you store your ability points to use when it is needed and try grinding your skills as much as you can."</p><p>"Sounds right. Well, thanks for the info." With that, Percy walked out and headed back to his room.</p><p>As he walked, another notification popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Discover how the gaming mechanism works.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy entered his room and saw Grover lounging on his bed reading what seemed to be like a nature guide. Percy suddenly had an idea. He used <strong>Observe</strong> and what he saw shocked him. It seemed as though the system had opened him to an entirely new world and just about everything was going to shock him from here on out. Just before he could outwardly react or say something, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> kicked in and calmed him down instantly.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Grover Underwood</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Satyr</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Protector</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 1500 / 1500</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 750 / 750</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Grover Underwood is a satyr tasked with protecting Perseus Jackson due to him being a ? Grover loves Percy and thinks of him as his best friend. He loves enchiladas and fruits or rather food in general. He is attracted to nature.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>What the actual frick. Percy blinked. He blinked again. And again. He was having a hard time believing that his best friend was a satyr of all things. A half man and a half goat. Suddenly the pants all day long, his reluctance to wear anything else except for shoes and the crutches made sense. Percy swiped the box away. Grover was strong. Quite a bit. He saw his friend in a new light after reading the new information provided to him by the system.</p><p>'So wait. If Grover is a satyr, it means the Greek myths are not myths but very much real. If they are real, it meant that the other stuff was real too which meant that the supernatural was real' Percy thought with a start. Suddenly, the welcome message started making sense. Before he could dwell more on it, Grover's voice rang out.</p><p>"Percy?! Are those books that you're carrying with you?", Grover exclaimed. He was clearly shocked to see Percy of all people carrying books to read. Surely the end was near.</p><p>"Yes, in fact, I have realised that I need to improve myself. It is high time since I did something about my grades and reading seemed like a good place to start due to my Dyslexia", Percy replied.</p><p>All Grover could do was nod mutely, still trying to process the information dumped on him out of nowhere. After a while, he smiled. He was happy that his friend had started to take care of himself and maybe just maybe, he might be able to get this demigod safely to camp this time round. The failure of Thalia's death still loomed over him. He pushed these thoughts out of his mind as he settled down into a blissful sleep.</p><p>Percy on his part, completely forgot about his earlier thought and sat down to finally start reading the 6 books that he had gotten as he pulled an all-nighter.</p><p>By the time morning came, he was done and the notifications caused him to smile.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your skill in Modern English has increased!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English - Level 6 + 5 = 11. (-45% to all forms of English, +5% for every level gained)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your intelligence has increased!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 3 + 3 = 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>His final stats for the day were :</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of ? </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of ? and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in ? and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with ? due to his heritage which grants him control over ? and ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Race : ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp - 60 / 270</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 250 / 250</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 250 / 250</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 3</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 3</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $0 / D0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : None</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skills</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Language :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 11)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>He swiped the boxes away as he got ready for another day.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Revelations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3: Revelations</strong>
</p>
<p>Percy was not a morning person. Not in the least. He despised it with a passion. He was so engrossed in the books that he read the previous night that he completely forgot about the classes in the morning right up until Grover whacked him on his head and went commando all of a sudden.</p>
<p>"Percy, GET UP! We are getting extremely late for class. I don't know about you but I really don't fancy a detention when tomorrow is a Saturday. I would very much like to have some peace of mind from this hellhole they call school", Grover exclaimed in a panic.</p>
<p>"Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Not again", Percy groaned. Just as he was about to get up, a screen popped up in front of him.</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Reach class on time, avoid detention and pass the test.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Rewards -</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>$50</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>50 XP</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>+1 INT</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Failure - </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Detention with Ms. Dodds</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline? </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>Immediately Percy hit accept. He did not have time to ponder who Ms. Dodds was. He proceeded to haul ass as he changed his clothes and zoomed out of the room with Grover in tow at a record time. They ran like their lives depended on it and boy were they relieved when they reached on time with just a minute to spare.</p>
<p>Panting, Percy made his way to his seat. Just as he sat down, the old Math teacher he was accustomed to was suddenly replaced by someone else. The new teacher was a fifty year old woman who wore a black leather jacket during the summer season. Even though she was relatively short compared to the other teachers, everything about her screamed danger. She looked like the sort of woman who would ride a Harley and wouldn't think twice before running you over with it or give you a wedgie for being a dork.</p>
<p>In the sweetest voice he swore he had ever heard she said, "Class, I am your new math teacher, Ms. Dodds. I expect full concentration and cooperation whilst in class otherwise you may well have to spend a lovely afternoon in detention with a few tasks in hand."</p>
<p>There was a dangerous tone to the last part of the sentence or so Percy thought.</p>
<p>"I will now be taking a little test to determine where you all stand before we move forward with the syllabus this year", she continued.</p>
<p>Wait, test? Now that he thought about it, the gaming system already knew about her and the test before this even came to pass. How in the hell did that happen?! The more he thought, the more he realised that this system was something far more powerful than he gave it credit for and so far whatever information it had given him was true to its word. He resolved to start placing more trust in it if he were to find out who his dad is amongst other things.</p>
<p>Soon, the tests were distributed. Usually, Percy had an extremely hard time giving any tests. However, this time round, as he looked at the test, he could already solve a few of the questions which earlier he could only dream about solving. The questions were relatively simple and straightforward for a student of Grade 6. With a start, Percy realised that this sudden change may as well be attributed to his increase in intelligence. It was only at 1 yesterday and within a day, he was at a solid 6. Though not a big increase, it was certainly good enough for a start. He was not one to complain. Besides, this also helped him to avoid detention with Ms. Dodds. Something told him that it was not in his best interests.</p>
<p>As the test was over, Percy thought about trying to use <strong>Observe.</strong> He certainly needed to level it up if he was to encounter any monsters in the future and needed help in identifying them. Just as he used it, the results were surprising in the least. Just by looking at the description he started panicking as a cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Before he could do anything, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> kicked in again, straightening his emotions immediately. He breathed a sigh of relief. Thank gods for it otherwise he would be in quite the trouble. He glanced at the screen once again and sure, it was there -</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Ms. Dodds a.k.a Alecto</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Species : Fury</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Title : Hades' Servant</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>HP : ?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>MP : ?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Ms. Dodds is one of the Kindly Ones who serves Hades, God of the Underworld. She is currently tasked to watch Percy. </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>There was no mistaking it. Alecto. A fury. Hades. Why on Earth were these things suddenly surrounding him? He had no idea as to how this came to pass and could only wonder. Right now, he knew he had to be careful at what he did because things weren't the same. Not anymore.</p>
<p>Soon, the period ended and Ms. Dodds walked out with a final glance at the class. It seemed like that but in reality, she was staring right at Percy. He could feel her gaze sharpening and for a moment his breath hitched before he managed to calm himself down not wanting to show any hint that he knew more than he let on.</p>
<p>Just then a notification popped up.</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Reach class on time, avoid detention and pass the test.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>INT : 6 + 1 = 7</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Exp : 110 / 270</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Money : $50 / D 0 </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>Percy quickly checked it over and dismissed the screen.</p>
<p>Soon, the day progressed and Percy got bored. He tried using <strong>Observe</strong> on other people to level it up and to his surprise, quite a bit of information was revealed. By doing so he was able to level up his <strong>Observe to Level 3.</strong></p>
<p>Of all the people, one that somewhat stood out to him was that of Nancy Bobofit. She was a red-headed girl with freckles who spent most of her time bullying other kids or stealing from them. This was not what surprised him. What really got to him was what was written in her description.</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Nancy Bobofit</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>HP : 175 / 175</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>MP : 0 / 0</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Nancy Bobofit is Percy's acquaintance. She has trouble connecting with her parents as she hardly receives any attention. This has led her to become a kleptomaniac in order to gain some attention even if it is negative. She spends her time bullying and stealing in school for said attention.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>Percy could not help but want to help her out or just be there for her seeing how she was suffering and the facade she put up for the world was nothing short of remarkable if he was being honest. He put away the thought for contemplation later as he focused on the next class of Mr. Brunner.</p>
<p>Recalling the previous day's conversation, Percy thought that Mr. Brunner too knew something more than he let on. So as his teacher entered, he decided to use <strong>Observe</strong> on him. Nothing could have prepared him for the result. He was not expecting this. Then again, Alecto was in his school as his Math teacher watching over him so it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine that Mr. Brunner was here too or as he was popularly known as Chiron.</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Mr. Brunner a.k.a Chiron</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Species : Centaur</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Title : Trainer of Heroes</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>HP : ?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>MP : ?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chiron is one of the most popular figures in Greek Mythology. Widely regarded as the Trainer of Heroes, he groomed many notable figures including the likes of Achilles and Hercules. He is currently at Yancy Academy watching over Percy due to him being a ?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>Again that damned question mark! It was starting to grate Percy. Why was he suddenly surrounded by figures of the Greek Mythology? What was so special about him? He was just a normal teenager growing up in New York with the best mother and an unknown father. What was it that attracted these people?</p>
<p>As the class got over, all the students walked out and headed towards the swimming pool. Today was physical education and their coach had decided on swimming. It had been a while since Percy swam so as he changed and jumped into the pool, he came across a notification that would change life as he knew it.</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>You have come in contact with water! Due to your heritage, you gained a boost.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>HP and MP restored. All elemental effects negated. Body completed healed.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>+2000 HP</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>+2000 MP</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>+20 STR</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>+20 VIT</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>+20 DEX</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater ability active.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>This was by far the biggest clue he could get in regards to his heritage. Clearly, this had something to do with his absent father. He could already understand Ancient Greek because of him and now this. He already had an inkling about his father being a God after the revelations last night but it was a shot in the dark for all he knew. This just got him one step closer. One major step forward. From all the information provided, he could guess that his father somewhat belonged to the Greek Mythology and had an affinity with water if the notification was anything to go by.</p>
<p>Deciding to test his theory, he swam to the deep end and plunged deeper into the water. As he opened his eyes, he could somehow see everything clearly. He could see the location of each and every student in the pool, their feet kicking the water even the bubbles emerging as a result. He held his breath for as long as he could until he took another risk. He stopped holding his breath and tried to breathe just as he normally would. To his surprise, he was able to breathe just as he was able to above the water. Everything just came naturally to him.</p>
<p>Now that this was proved, he joined the dots from what he knew till now. He clearly had water based abilities, his dyslexia and ADHD were somehow related to this. Moreover, he knew Ancient Greek reflexively and was somehow surrounded by the Greek supernatural world. Percy then tried remembering what he could about the Greek Mythology. The Gods had defeated the Titans in the war which meant that they were the ones ruling Earth. He had red blood which meant he was human. Or wait. Human? So why didn't it show up on his status page like it did for others? Was it because he was something more? The only thing he could think of that shared the traits was a demigod since the Gods were the ones who were supposedly around if he truly believed the system. Did it mean? No, surely not. Percy kept shaking his head profusely but nothing could deter him from his thoughts and the one conclusion it formed.</p>
<p>He was a demigod. Not just any demigod. The only God who fit this criteria was Poseidon. He was the demigod son of Poseidon - one of the 'Big 3' or so as they were called.</p>
<p>To further cement this claim, a notification popped up. With dread he started reading it.</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Find your true origins and your Father's name.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Exp : 210 / 270</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Information about your true origins</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Information about your abilities</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>New Status : Demigod</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Passive Skill : Son of the Sea God</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>Percy pulled up his stats and just floated underwater with wide eyes as he digested the information. This was certainly not what he had in mind.</p>
<p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in combat and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Level - 5</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Exp - 210 / 270</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>HP : 250 / 250 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>MP : 250 / 250 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>STR : 7 (+ 20)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>VIT : 2 (+ 20)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>DEX : 4 (+ 20)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>INT : 7</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>WIS : 3</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>LUC : 3</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Points : 0</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Money : $50 / D0</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Status : Demigod </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>(Due to being a Demigod, your ADHD lets you be more attuned and observant in the battlefield helping in improving your combat prowess and staying alive.)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Skills</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Language :</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 11)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 3)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God (Gives +20 STR, +20 VIT, +20 DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in contact with water)</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <b>x.x</b>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>A/N</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It is a tad slow in the beginning since I wanted to set-up the story before moving onto combat and the other things that you would associate with PJO. For the next chapter, I have a few plans but I still need to outline those before diving into it.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>As always, please review and follow! It means the world to me! Thank you! :)</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Until next time. </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Up and About</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 4: Up and About</strong>
</p><p>Percy was stumped. He was a demigod. A son of a God. Poseidon. This intake was all too much to bear for a teenager. While a part of him was happy that he was finally able to find out about his father, another part of him was freaking out over the fact that the supernatural actually existed. Him being able to breathe underwater was pretty much the first real experience he had relating to it. He was distracted for a few minutes, thankfully no one noticed the absence of the demigod except for Grover who was sitting on the bleachers overlooking the pool.</p><p>Grover looked on with worry for his friend and feared for him as he was unable to see him for a few minutes. However, they were put to rest as Percy suddenly resurfaced and started the swimming drills with his peers who knew how to swim. Grover, ever mindful of his surroundings, found it odd that Percy was somehow able to spend time underwater more so than the average human or demigod. He had an itch about it, one that he did not want to scratch. He was afraid if Percy too turned out to be a child of one of the Big Three. The sea-green eyes and the recently demonstrated affinity with water weren't helping things. Not in the slightest. So there he sat terrified of what was to come. He needed to speak with Chiron. He could already smell that Ms. Dodds was not human but what she was was beyond him for the moment. He knew that something was odd about her so he needed to act fast. He resolved to speak to Chiron as soon as classes ended. Thankfully, this was the final class for the day.</p><p>Unaware of the inner turmoil of his friend, Percy had already begun swimming. A notification had popped up after a few laps which Percy dismissed.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill created!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your swim speed is of an average human : 3 km/hr. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Bonus : Due to you being a son of Poseidon, you gain boosted progress.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>By the end of training, Percy should have been pretty tired like the rest of his class but oddly enough, he felt refreshed. It was as though he had a full night's sleep and just woke up brimming with energy. While it was certainly new, it wasn't unwelcome. He chalked it up as a son of Poseidon thing wherein the water refreshed him as soon as he submerged himself in it. He would need to test this again later on.</p><p>So, the classes came to a close. Percy was brimming with excitement for what was to come next. He quickly changed and walked out. He really wanted to try a few things but he had his bags on him.</p><p>'Only if I had a place to store them', Percy mused. As if reading his thoughts, another notification popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inventory storage now available!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>What sort of a game doesn't have a limitless inventory box? Presenting you with your very own inventory box. Along with the aforementioned benefit, items stored in the box will stay in pristine condition. This includes food.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy gaped. This was certainly helpful. He touched the inventory box and sure enough, another blank screen appeared with quite a few boxes cut out in it. Hesitantly, Percy reached down and got his backpack near the screen and pushed it in. True to its word, the backpack disappeared into thin air and appeared as an item in the storage. He smiled. Percy then quickly made his way to a waterfall in an area which was not frequented at this time of the day.</p><p>Slowly Percy dipped his fingers in the water and felt the rush of power and calming effects of the sea envelope him. It felt like the sea was embracing its long lost prince and was eager for its return as the water rippled with barely contained excitement. A notification box popped up but Percy dismissed it with a wave of his hand. He needed to focus. He felt the water around his arms making contact with it. He felt a thread in his gut that was longing to be connected with the water. He let it reach out and connect. He opened his eyes and slowly willed the water to start rising from its position and sure enough a few tendrils started rising. He watched with happiness as he willed more of it to join the tendrils and more kept rising. Just as it was at its apex, Percy lost concentration and the water fell back into the fountain. A few notifications had popped up which Percy had ignored and sure enough it was there.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability Discovered!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 1 - Cost 50 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The ability to control water in its most basic form.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to continuous practice, Water Control has levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 2 - Cost 49 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>This motivated Percy to practice even more and the next few hours were spent trying to control more and more water, making it rise, swirl in the air and then disperse. Only for the process to be repeated. As late evening approached, Percy was finally able to get a few basics down. He could now control water when he was in contact with it and had a little easier time connecting with it, he didn't have to focus as much as he had to initially. Moreover, without contact with water, he could raise a few tendrils with his connection alone but it was far more difficult and straining for him to maintain for long.</p><p>What surprised him was that he again did not feel tired in the slightest despite using up MP to a huge degree throughout the time. The more he thought about it, the more confused he got until a metaphorical bulb went off in his head. The water regenerated his HP and MP as soon as he came in contact with it or entered it. For example, if he used up all his MP and then entered the water again, instantly, his MP would be regenerated. Percy grinned like a maniac. He was going to squeeze the system off of everything it was worth. This exploit was nothing short of a highway to increased powers though he would certainly have to work for it. It was huge for him, he would not have to wait for his MP to regenerate now. Just as he got up and walked off to the library, a string of notifications he had been ignoring popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to continuous practice, Water Control has levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 3 - Cost 48 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to continuous practice, Water Control has levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 4 - Cost 47 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to continuous practice, Water Control has levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 5 - Cost 46 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to finding a loophole in the system by thinking in a rational manner and connecting the dots, your WIS has increased!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 3 + 1 = 4</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy was pleasantly surprised with the level ups as well as the bonus increase in intelligence. It seemed as though the game itself wanted Percy to progress quickly and become stronger than before. Dismissing the notifications, Percy walked to the library and grabbed a huge stack of books ranging from Grade 2 to Grade 12 in an effort to increase his reading skills. His dyslexia held him back quite a bit but now that he had a means to combat it and become smarter, in order to make his mom proud, he was going to use the situation to its full extent.</p><p>It was almost 7pm by the time he reached his room and was surprised not to see Grover lounging around as per usual. He chalked it up as Grover being busy with something and proceeded to start reading a book. By the time it was 9pm, Grover still hadn't returned and Percy was starting to get worried about his best friend. True, even though Grover was a satyr and could protect himself better than Percy could, he could still not stop and worry.</p><p>Curfew started at 9 so Percy had to be extremely careful not to get caught. He was certainly not afraid of sneaking around or anything. He just did not want to get caught with the school informing his mom about his behaviour, the last thing he wanted was for her to be even more worried about him. She as it is had a lot on her plate with Smelly Gabe in his life. He wrinkled his nose at the thought of Gabe but dismissed it quickly. Making up his mind, just as he was about to step out of the room, a screen popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Find Grover without getting caught</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>+1 DEX</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>70 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Detention with Ms. Dodds</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy gulped and immediately accepted the quest as he made his way out of the room. His room was located on the first floor of the dorm so it was relatively easy for him to sneak out at the moment. He quietly made his way towards the staircase. Luckily, he did not come across any teacher. He quickly made his way down and ran in the cover of shadows so as to not be detected by any passing teacher by chance even though the corridor was empty. Finally he reached the door and slipped out.</p><p>Just as he stepped outside, another notification popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill created </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Allows you to sneak up on someone or get around with the cover of darkness / shadows</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>10% chance of not getting caught</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>10% chance of critical strike</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy contemplated which place to check first. Grover was a satyr - a being related to the Greek Mythology and was tasked to protect him. The most obvious choice was for him to be spending time with Chiron since both seemed to be related. He could not be spending time with Alecto since she was a fury and for the life of him, he could not bring himself to trust Hades. The accounts he read certainly did not help. Deciding on checking Chiron's room in the teacher's wing, he quickly made his way.</p><p>Chiron's room was conveniently put on the ground floor due to him being 'specially abled'. Hence, he did not need to worry about climbing a damned building to find Grover. Just as he reached, he saw Grover in the middle of a conversation with Chiron if the frantic waving of hands or the look of desperation on Grover's face was anything to go by. Chiron to his credit, was calmly sitting on his wheelchair while trying to placate the satyr.</p><p>'What can be so important for Grover to behave like this?' Percy thought. 'Might as well try to listen to the conversation but I need a means to do that.'</p><p>Whether it was luck or bad luck, Percy found another window slightly ajar which could help him in his endeavours. He could not stand right next to the window due to the light, he had to crouch down a bit and stay in the shadows in order to avoid being detected. He would not be able to hear the whole conversation but it was better than nothing. Just as he finished his line of thought, another screen popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Eavesdrop on Chiron and Grover</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>100 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chiron and Grover finding out about you</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Loss of respect</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy raised an eye at the question mark. It seemed as though he would get a random prize on completion. He shrugged as he reached out and tapped accept. As the screen disappeared, Percy settled himself into position and sure enough parts of the conversation were audible.</p><p>". . . . Percy acting strange," a voice he identified as Grover's said.</p><p>"Difficult . . . . camp . . . . time," another voice replied. This was definitely Chiron.</p><p>'Camp?' Percy thought. 'What about it?' Before he could dwell on it more, the conversation continued.</p><p>'"Kindly One in school . . . . . safety . . . . ," Grover continued now on the verge of panicking if his tone was anything to go by.</p><p>". . . . Sally . . . . quickly . . . . too late," Chiron replied.</p><p>Wait. Back up. What had his mother got to do with any of this? For the life of him, he could not seem to make head or tail of the conversation.</p><p>"Summer solstice . . . . thief . . . . . lightning bolt," Grover said. He seemed like he was almost at his wits end now. Whatever they were talking about was certainly unpleasant.</p><p>"Peace Grover, all we can do is wait and hope Percy is ready when the time is right," Chiron replied as suddenly Percy could hear things clearly. It seemed as though it was meant for him to hear as the conversation was in a hushed tone earlier but it was quite clear now.</p><p>Percy backed up slowly taking extra precaution so as to not get caught. He turned away and just as he was about to make a break for it, he froze when he heard a voice that chilled him to his very bones. Thankfully, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> got activated and he was able to straighten himself up immediately.</p><p>"The smell seems to be coming from here", he heard Alecto muse to herself as she suddenly materialised in his line of sight. Thankfully since he was still hidden, she did not sight him but it was only a matter of time before he was caught. It was now or never. Just as he got ready, another screen popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping! </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Return to room undetected.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>100 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>+2 LUC</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure -</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>This was certainly a no brainer as he immediately accepted the quest. He looked up to see Alecto slowly making her way towards him as she searched around. Percy turned sideways and clung to the sides of the building, hoping to stay hidden in the shadows whilst being on the lookout for Alecto. Slowly he made his way around the building and backtracked to his dorm as something else suddenly caught Alecto's attention it seemed. Fate seemed to be on his side tonight if he was able to get out of there unharmed. He made his way to his room and settled in his bed, breathing a sigh of relief. Today was close and it brought more questions than answers.</p><p>Sighing Percy summoned his screen, taking in the plethora of notifications displayed.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Notification 1 : Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Find Grover without getting caught</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 2 + 1 = 3 (+ 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 210 + 70 = 10 / 428</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Notification 2 : Level Up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 250 + 50 = 300 / 300</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 250 + 50 = 300 / 300</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>2 ability points added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Notification 3 : Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Eavesdrop on Grover and Chiron</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 10 + 100 = 110 / 428</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 2 + 1 = 3</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Notification 4 : Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Return to room undetected.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 110 + 100 = 210 / 428</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 3 + 2 = 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Notification 5 </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to continuous use, sneaking has levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 2) </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>11% chance of not getting caught</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>11% chance of critical strike</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Notification 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New ability unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your sprint speed is at 24 km/hr. It is that of an average human.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy's eyes bugged at the amount of rewards and skills that he got from his adventure. This was certainly interesting. His abilities and skills were still quite low, he needed to work on those if he needed to become better. He was still scrawny and short for his age. There were lots of things he needed to start doing.</p><p>'No time like the present eh?', Percy asked himself. With that thought, he grabbed his pile of books with renewed vigor as he settled for another night of intense reading since sleep was no longer an issue. Somehow, he didn't need to sleep and never felt lethargic ever since he got this gaming system with him. This changed the way he functioned and he was loath to waste it even a little bit.</p><p>By the time Artemis had made way for Apollo to set out on his journey across the skies, Percy was finished with a night of focused reading. Sometime during the night Grover had arrived and seemingly dropped dead on his bed which Percy just ignored. As Percy got up to stretch and felt the various pops in his back, the notifications that he had been ignoring throughout the night popped up. He had read close to 8 books and had currently reached Grade 5 level of reading.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to continuous reading, your Modern English has levelled up.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 11 + 1 = 12 (-40% to all forms of English, +5% for every level gained)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to continuous reading, your Modern English has levelled up.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 12 + 1 = 13 (-35% to all forms of English, +5% for every level gained)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your intelligence has increased.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 7 + 1 = 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy swiped those boxes away and brought up his main stats.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in combat and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp - 110 / 428</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 300 / 300 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 300 / 300 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 5 (+ 2 + 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 3 (+ 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 3 (+2 + 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 4</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $50 / D0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy realised that he still needed to improve his stats since he was still at a low level and his HP and MP were nowhere near that of Grover. He needed to get strong. Fast. So he decided to spend the next week grinding his stats and at least reach level 7 in all his stats save for LUC. He had no idea how to increase that. Whilst he was at it, he could also improve his other abilities like water control and running. He assumed he would need more and more of those if he were to encounter any monsters. He could always increase his water control whilst swimming since that would replenish his MP and he would not have to worry about exhausting himself over and over again whilst he waited for his MP to regenerate. Happy with the plan, Percy finally noticed the screen floating in front him.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Reach minimum Level 7 in all stats except LUC.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>250 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$100</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Staying weak thereby dying early.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>The last part was quite ominous in Percy's opinion and he shuddered and the implications. With that in mind, he accepted the quest as he got ready for the coming week.</p><p>
  <em>X.X</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Timeskip - 1 week later, Friday</em>
</p><p>Percy panted as he finally finished his running for the day. It had been a week since he had started working harder than before. Not wanting to die was certainly a big motivator for him and he wanted to avoid that as much as he could. Thank you very much.</p><p>Nothing noteworthy happened during the week when it came to the people around him. He and Grover kept hanging out like usual while Chiron somehow started pushing him harder than ever to learn about Greek history. He was fairly certain now that his teacher was aware of his presence during the night he eavesdropped on his conversation with Grover but decided to not call out Percy on it. Alecto well, she was just being Alecto if that made any sense. She creeped him out more than anyone ever could and that was something coming from a boy who grew up in New York. He really did not want to recall his experience with her nor did he want to spend more time than necessary in her presence so he avoided detention as much as he could.</p><p>Whilst that was taken care of, his stats had been progressing steadily throughout the week. Overall he was quite happy. Just as he sat down to finally rest and wrap up the day, a notification popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to constant running, your DEX has increased.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 6 + 1 = 7 (+ 2 + 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your sprint speed is at 26 km/hr. It is that of an average human.</strong>
</p><p>Percy breathed out a sigh of relief as the quest was finally over.</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 110 + 250 = 360 / 428</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 50 + 100 = $150</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 5 + 3 = 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>That was certainly a sweet reward. He needed luck quite a bit given his track record of getting kicked out of schools for situations out of his control. His stats sheet now read :</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in combat and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp - 360 / 428</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 300 / 300 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 350 / 350 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 10 (+ 2 + 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 7 (+ 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 7 (+2 + 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 11</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 7</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $50 / D0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skills</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 16)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 1 - 3 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 3 - 26 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Gives +20 STR, VIT &amp; DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 9 - 42 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>He had made great strides and overall he was proud of himself. The bonuses provided on reaching base level 10 for his stats were a welcome addition. The number of books needed for levelling up his INT stat also greatly increased as he was gaining a higher level in it. While this was a bit troublesome, it had the added bonus that now he had started scoring well in class due to his rise in intelligence. From barely passing, he was now able to achieve a grade of C. Though it could still be improved, it was a start. His water control too had improved by leaps and bounds, he could now control water in a better manner without having to be in it and could now control and move large amounts of it by will though it still strained him a bit.</p><p>As Percy was walking back, he decided to take the long route to his dorm. This one led through some woods in the school premises which were against a backdrop of rocks. As he walked through the woods, he came across a barren patch of land near the rocks. While this wouldn't have been unusual, something told Percy that it was a good idea to go and probably inspect it. Ever since his intelligence increased, Percy was now able to think things in a better manner which was beneficial for him given his prior history in mindlessly charging into things sometimes hurting himself more than the other.</p><p>'<strong>Observe</strong>', Percy whispered to himself.</p><p>Just as he did, suddenly something protruded from the rock and a small section covering the 'thing' was destroyed. Percy walked closer cautiously and saw that the 'thing' was in fact a glowing blue Delta waiting to be pressed. Percy used <strong>'Observe</strong>' again and his jaw dropped.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You have spotted an entrance to the Labyrinth!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Available - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dungeon (Level 5)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Do you wish to enter? </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Yes / No?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Here, sitting right in front of him was the entrance to the damned labyrinth itself. To top it off, there seemed to be a dungeon as well, like the ones available in video games where you killed monsters to gain additional rewards and loot. This seemed interesting. He could come back tomorrow once he was refreshed and check it out. He pressed 'No' for now and returned to his room. On his way, a screen popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Clear your first dungeon.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards -<br/></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>200 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>2 Ability Points</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$1000 </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy accepted the quest as he walked back to his room to finally have a good night's sleep after a long time.</p><p>
  <strong>You have slept in your own bed! All HP and MP restored. </strong>
</p><p>Percy dismissed the screen as he woke up and yawned. Today he was going to head into the dungeon and he was brimming with excitement. After getting changed, he headed for breakfast. Today was an off thankfully which meant that he did not have to worry about the time. In case he got late, he could always sneak in.</p><p>As Percy entered the cafeteria, he noticed one important aspect rather, one lack thereof. It was completely devoid of life save for a handful students who were eating alone or chatting quietly. Percy made his way to the buffet table and <strong>Observed</strong> the food available. His logic was that since everything had the aspect of a game, consuming food would help restore HP and MP for him. On the table there were an array of meals but he took note of the ones that granted him the most HP and MP upon consumption. He looked around him and surely, all the students present were engaged in their own conversations or busy with something or the other. He quickly scooped up handfuls of food and dumped them into his inventory until he was satisfied. His inventory now read as :</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Apple x 10 : Restores 20 HP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Banana x 10 : Restores 10 MP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Pancakes x 15 : Restores 20 HP and 20 MP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Hot Wings x 30 : Restore 10 HP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>He put some food on a plate so as to not arouse suspicion and looked around to see who all were there. He saw Nancy sitting alone on one of the corner tables and he remembered the information he read about her when he used <strong>Observe</strong> on her. She was alone; needed someone in her life to be there for her and most importantly, she needed her parents. Percy walked up to her and slid onto the chair opposite to her.</p><p>"Hey Nancy", Percy greeted cheerfully.</p><p>"What are you doing here dork?" Was the immediate reply from the red head.</p><p>"Can't I get to know more about my bully?", Percy asked cheekily. He knew she was trying to push him away by showing a rough exterior but he wasn't going to let her. He wanted to have a little talk and slowly build up some trust.</p><p>"What is it in for you?", she asked with narrowed eyes.</p><p>Percy shrugged. "Should people have an ultimatum when speaking to others?", he asked.</p><p>"Not really but when it comes to freaks like you, who knows what's going on?".</p><p>"Come on Nancy, all this time and you can't even get my name right? It is Percy, P-E-R-C-Y, Percy. See it is easy to pronounce!"</p><p>"Honestly, how can you be so annoying and upbeat first thing in the morning Percy?"</p><p>"I don't know I guess it is how it is."</p><p>Nancy just shook her head at that having given up on trying to understand the sea-green eyed boy in front of her. He would be doing something and seemingly go off a tangent for no apparent reason leaving others scratching their heads.</p><p>"Seems like someone's warming up to me", Percy's voice rang out as she cleared her head of the thoughts.</p><p>"Fat chance. You're still an idiot Percy."</p><p>Percy mock clutched his heart in shock as he said, "that hurts".</p><p>Nancy smiled at that. She gave a true smile to Percy as she was amused with his antics. She had had a crush on him for a while now and could not never figure out how to talk to him so she resorted to bullying him or trying to avoid him just as 7-8 year old kids did.</p><p>By the time Nancy was done with her thoughts, Percy had already scarfed down the food and was up. "Well, I better get going, need to finish off some work today", Percy said. Technically, he wasn't lying since he did have to finish off the dungeon which would be classified as 'work' in his world.</p><p>Nancy looked a bit put out but schooled her expression before Percy could notice it. "See you around, Jackson".</p><p>With that over, Percy walked out and before heading towards the woods, he grabbed 5 bottles of water and chucked them into his inventory. He had an idea that if he was in a dire situation, he could always use the water to heal himself. Finally he walked out and reached the clearing to begin his first adventure as a demigod. As he pressed the delta, a screen popped up,</p><p>
  <strong>Labyrinth :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dungeon (Level 5)</strong>
</p><p>Percy pressed Dungeon. Immediately, the rock crumbled and a set of stairs heading into the Earth was revealed.</p><p>"Well, here goes", Percy said to no-one in particular as he descended the stairs. A few seconds later, the boulders magically sealed themselves, not leaving any evidence that it was in fact the entrance to one of the most dangerous places in the Greek Mythology.</p><p>Just as he finally reached level ground, small torches blazed to life in the corridor illuminating the area and the path forward in an eerie glow. To the side of what Percy assumed to be the starting area stood a medium sized chest. 'Must be the kind you get before missions,' Percy mused. He opened the chest and used <strong>Observe</strong>. Sure enough, there were :</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Iron Sword x 1</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Basic sword - 50 damage</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Iron Shield x 1</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Basic shield - 20/20 durability</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Small Potion x 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Restores 20HP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy was glad that he had gotten a weapon since he had initially just planned on fighting unarmed if it came to it. He quickly put the potions in his inventory and equipped the sword and shield.</p><p>He then made his way down the corridor as it expanded to accommodate more people. Torches lit automatically along its length casting just enough light to be able to see properly but not enough to call it bright. Just as he was walking forward with his shield raised in one hand and sword in the other, something fell from the ceiling in front of him.</p><p>It was a skeleton though several bones were missing from what Percy could see. It just carried a sword and a shield, nothing too special about it. Percy used <strong>Observe</strong>.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skeleton - Level 5</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Generic skeleton reanimated by necromancy.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP 350</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP 150</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Kill to gain - 25 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy eyed the skeleton, matching its stance with his own. Slowly, he approached it and just as they were a few feet apart, the skeleton suddenly dashed forward with its sword raised, aiming to impale Percy in one fell swoop. Percy to his credit instinctively raised his shield to block the oncoming attack and swung his sword trying to cut the skeleton from its other side. The skeleton, like Percy, raised its shield and blocked the strike. Following his instincts, Percy dropped back and let the skeleton charge him once again. This time, instead of raising his shield, Percy merely stepped to the left and dodged, letting the sword fly over his head while he slashed at the skeleton.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Weapon Damage - 50</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Bonus Damage due to STR - 12</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Total Damage - 50 + 12 = 62</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy quickly dismissed the screen and did a quick math in his head. He needed to get in approximately 7 strikes before he could kill the skeleton or he could try to go for one of its vital points. In this case, the only vital point he could make sense of was its head.</p><p>Percy turned around and blocked another incoming strike with his shield as he again retreated. This time, he took a different approach. As the skeleton came at him again this time with an overhead strike, Percy used his strength to knock the blow off tangent and make the skeleton stumble. Capitalising on the opportunity, Percy then attacked it, cutting its head clean off like a hot knife passing through butter. The skeleton then crumpled to a heap of bones leaving behind one bone and a paper whilst the rest of its body and items seemingly got sucked by the ground.</p><p>Percy inspected the bone and for the life of him couldn't figure out anything special about it. He stored it in his inventory though since this was his first monster killed ever so it had a bit of sentimental value to it. Next, he inspected the piece of paper which suspiciously looked like a dollar note. He picked it up and sure enough, it was a $10 bill. He squinted and raised it at different angles to make sure that what he was seeing was actually true. Finding no issues with it, he put it in his inventory and sure enough, a notification popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 150 + 10 = 160</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 360 + 25 = 385 </strong>
</p><p>Percy grinned as his sea-green eyes sparkled with $ signs. If this was the level of enemies he was going to face, he would have no issues racking up money.</p><p>Percy raised his sword above his head and charged in with a war cry, "AHHH!"</p><p>5 minutes later,</p><p>"AHHHHH", Percy's screams of dread filled the corridor as a horde of skeletons chased him. This was so not how he imagined things going down.</p><p>As he had been running inside, several skeletons suddenly materialised on both his sides and at his back, blocking any retreat. There were approximately 20 of them. He would have liked to say that he stood his ground and faced them off like a brave person but he would be lying as he did the only thing that came to his mind, he bolted.</p><p>As he was running further inside the dungeon, he looked over his shoulder to see that 3 of the skeletons were easily able to keep up with him. He had an idea. He suddenly stopped, turned around and immediately swung his sword sideways at his head level. This sudden gesture didn't give the skeletons any time to react as they all fell into a mass of crumpled bones. Happy that the immediate danger had been dealt with, Percy quickly pocketed the drops.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 160 + 30 = 190</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 385 + 75 = 32 / 640</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level Up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 7</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 300 + 50 = 350 / 350</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 350 + 50 = 400 / 400</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>2 ability points added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability Points : 2 + 2 = 4</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy didn't have time as he swiped the screens away. The horde of skeletons were quickly approaching and he needed to do something about it quickly. There were still 17 left. He grabbed a bottle of water from his inventory and uncapped it. He willed the water out and formed a line covering the entire breadth of the passage they were in. With that, he sent the water at the horde at high speeds. The first three rows were immediately taken out of commission as the water pressure alone was enough to knock their heads out. The others were either stunned, rather as stunned as a skeleton can be, whilst some fell down.</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 400 - 42 = 358 / 400</strong>
</p><p>Percy then lurched forward stabbing and killing the stunned zombies since the downed one would take a while to get back up. A few of them had lost their weapons as well so it was just easy pickings.</p><p>Soon, Percy was done with the horde. And had collected all the drops. He now had :</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 10 x 17 = 170 + 190 = 360</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 75 x 17 = 1275 + 32 = 1307 = 635 / 911</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level Up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 350 + 50 = 400 / 400</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 400 + 50 = 450 / 450 </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>2 ability points added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability Points : 4 + 2 = 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Iron Sword x 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Iron Shield x 7 </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Looking at the stats, Percy was ecstatic to see that he had levelled up twice so quickly. In the past week, he had received hardly any XP but now it was raining points and money. Truly this was a good day. As he swiped away the screens, he almost missed the last notification. This was truly an important one, this skill would be the beginning of the legend whose skill in this weapon was almost unmatched, one who would give Gods, Titans and Giants a run for their money.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to constant use, new skill created.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your skills with a blade</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>2% more damage with swords.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy needed this. Out of everything, this seemed to be the best skill he had unlocked till date. Quickly dismissing the screen, he walked to what seemed like the final chamber. As he entered it, a sight greeted his eyes that he had a hard time believing.</p><p>At the center of the chamber was a dias with a coffin of sorts with an eerie glow to it. Just by looking at it, Percy shivered. But, this wasn't what made him tongue tied. What really got to him was the figure standing over it with its arms raised.</p><p>It was about 2 metres tall with a crooked body. It wore a black armour with red lines engraved across it with sharp thorns everywhere. Two horns protruded from the helmet. The face was something that couldn't possibly be described. It had a disgusting, rotted face with empty eye sockets glowing with a flashing red light. To its side lay a huge rippled sword which was nearly 130 cm long coated in red and black fog. There was also a huge shield of the similar colour like its armour which appeared to be ¾ the size of its body. Percy also noticed a black stone glowing in one of its fingers as though it was being used for something on the coffin.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>'<strong>Observe</strong>'.</p><p>
  <strong>Death Knight (Level 35)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mid-tier undead servant of the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 20,000 / 20,000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 5,000 / 5,000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>As Percy read on, he slowly started looking at the figure with wide eyes, his mind going into a state of panic. Just before he could do anything rash, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> activated and he was once again grounded to reality.</p><p>In that time, the knight had discovered Percy's appearance and looked mad for some reason if the glowing eyes were anything to go by. It quickly picked up its sword and shield and walked towards Percy, ready to kill the transgressor who dared to interrupt its ritual to resurrect its master, the Sorcerer King - Ainz Ooal Gown.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Percy's Stats</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in combat and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp - 635 / 911</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 400 / 400 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 450 / 450 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 10 (+ 2 + 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 7 (+ 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 7 (+2 + 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 11</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 7</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $360 / D0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skills</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 16)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 1 - 3 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 3 - 26 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Gives +20 STR, VIT &amp; DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 9 - 42 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Exploration</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A/N</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Just posting till Ch 10 or something to catch up a bit. Do read on. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>x.x</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 5</strong>
</p><p>The knight walked around the coffin and towards Percy in a battle stance as it communicated its thoughts on Percy's presence. On the other hand, Percy searched for a way to kill this monster. He was not letting this mumbo-jumbo happen and neither was he going to back down from a fight.</p><p>Percy analysed the situation and decided to store his shield. The knight would be slow and heavy due to his armour and weaponry, Percy could use his superior speed to go in and attack it and step out before things could turn awry. He also summoned a water bottle and poured half of it on himself. Immediately, a screen popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God activated!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 10 + 2 + 20 = 32</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 7 + 20 = 27</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 7 + 2 + 20 = 29</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 400 + 2000 = 2400</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 450 + 2000 = 2450</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP and MP restored. All status effects negated. Body healed.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Satisfied, Percy quickly dismissed the box. He needed to get a few critical hits in if he wanted to make it out of here alive since his damage was extremely low at the moment. As an afterthought, he chucked the bottle at the knight who, as he expected, cut the bottle letting the water spill on it. Percy grinned. This was exactly the time of advantage he needed at the start. He focused on his connection with the sea and willed the water to turn into multiple spikes and pierced them into the chinks of the knight's armor. The effects were immediate.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 1</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Spikes Damage : 500</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Damage : 300%</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Total Damage : 500 x 300% = 1500</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death Knight</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 20,000 - 1,500 = 18,500</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Percy</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 2450 - 41 - 100 - 25 = 2284</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 2</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to constant use, Water Control has levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 10 - Cost 41 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 3</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to new skill created, Water Spikes has unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 1 - Cost 100 MP | Damage 500)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Create sharp spikes out of water to impale enemies.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 4</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to your mastery in Water Control, Water Manipulation has been unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Manipulation (Level 1 : 75 MP / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Manipulate water to form different shapes.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 5</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 1 : 300% damage)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Deal extra damage from hitting vital points of your enemies.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy knew that this attack would have some effect on the knight but to this extent? He could not fathom. Further, the water manipulation skill would be handy now since he needed all the help he could get and changing the forms of water would be helpful.</p><p>The attack seemed to annoy the knight more than anything. It did not make any sound whatsoever. It just continued on its path in order to beat Percy to a pulp. Percy was out of ideas so he just did the first thing that came to his mind - charge in, think later. He used his speed to maneuver around the knight as it continuously tried to impale Percy and started chipping away at the knights health. He was able to get in a few strikes until he got caught in the knight's shield and was blown back from the attack.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Damage : 50 * 10 strikes = 500</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Bonus STR damage : 32 * 10 = 320</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting skill : 820 * 2% = 16</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Total Damage : 500 + 320 + 16 = 836</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death Knight</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 18,500 - 836 = 17,664</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Percy</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 2400 - 1000 = 1,400</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to continuous use, Sword Fighting levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>3% more damage with swords.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy was shocked, immediately <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> activated and calmed him down. He just hit the knight so much, yet, he hardly made any damage to it. On the other hand, the knight reduced his health to nearly half with just a swing of its sword. Percy shuddered at the thought of the attack power of its sword. He then maintained some distance from the knight as he quickly thought of a plan. He needed to get rid of the sword first since it could outright kill him with one swipe. If the knight dropped the sword, he could in fact use it against the knight itself but he would need a window of opportunity for this since the knight also had a shield plus he needed to have increased strength to even lift the damned blade and he needed luck to pull it off. Percy then poured his ability points into LUC and STR.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 14 + 2 + 20 = 36</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 8 + 2 = 10</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Bonus : Chance of better loot +10%)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Satisfied, Percy was able to come up with a plan. He summoned all the remaining bottles from his inventory and dumped one over himself as he had dried up and needed the bonus.</p><p>
  <strong>HP and MP restored. All wounds healed.</strong>
</p><p>He felt the bruise healing up and the pain from the blow fading away as he sighed. He then threw the remaining 3 bottles at the knight who, as expected, continued slashing at them until he too was drenched. This was what Percy needed. He willed all the water on its body to enter through one of the chinks in the knight's armour on its sword arm and had it settle over the joint that connected its arm to the rest of its body.</p><p>'<strong>Water Spikes', </strong>Percy yelled as he willed three different sets of spikes to rise within the Knight's armour.</p><p>Immediately, he was rewarded with the sound of iron clattering and a faint 'thump' as the sword arm of the knight was completely cut off from its body. The water had expanded into spikes and punctured through whatever the hell there was underneath the armour and managed to break it.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Spikes Damage : 500</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Damage : 300%</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Total Damage : 500 x 300% = 1,500 * 3 = 4,500</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death Knight</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 17,664 - 4,500 = 13,164.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>This caused the knight to suddenly kneel down and drop its shield as it clutched its right part of the body where an arm used to be. Percy then quickly willed the remaining water on the knight to form a veil around its eyes to temporarily blind it as he dashed forward seeing his opportunity. Percy reached near the sword grunting as he tried to lift the heavy blade. He was able to awkwardly hold the blade at an upwards angle as he brought it towards its neck and stabbed it.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Damage : 5,000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Damage : 300%</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Total Damage : 5,000 * 300% = 15,000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death Knight killed!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dungeon cleared!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>The knight almost immediately dissolved into a swirl of darkness and dissipated without a trace. There remained a few drops from the knight as Percy panted from the mental and physical toll this outing had taken from him, especially this fight. He knew he needed to end this fight quickly otherwise he would be Percy kebab. His clarity during the battle was outstanding as he menatlly patted himself.</p><p>Not wanting to stay in this place any longer, he quickly collected whatever he found around the place and looked for the glowing delta sign which had appeared sometime when he was collecting the loot. He pressed it and waited for a second as a set of stairs leading to the surface materialised. Percy ran up the stairs and was greeted by the evening sun as he reached the surface. He then plopped down on the grass as he rested his back against some boulders as he was still processing what had transpired. As the adrenaline rushed died down, Percy realised he was far more tired than he initially thought he was. For now, he didn't have the energy to go through the notifications that kept popping up. He ignored them and ran straight to his dorm room as he could feel sleep coming in. Just as he plopped on his bed, his eyes immediately fluttered close as he drifted into a dreamless sleep. He had stopped having dreams / nightmares ever since the gaming system popped up in his life. He didn't spend much time dwelling on it and had decided to accept it for what it was.</p><p>
  <strong>You have slept in your own bed! All HP and MP restored. </strong>
</p><p>Percy woke up the following morning as he dismissed the screen out of habit. He was now refreshed and ready for the day. He recalled yesterday's fight and the notifications and decided to bring them up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 1</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Clear your first dungeon.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 635 + 200 = 835 / 911</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability Points : 0 + 2 = 2</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 360 + 1,000 = 1,360</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 2</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fast travel has now been unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Location : Yancy Academy</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 3</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to effective use of your mind to come up with battle strategies, you gained 1 WIS.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 7 + 1 = 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 4</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards for killing Death Knight :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death Knight's Sword</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death Knight's Shield</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Resurrection Stone</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 835 + 2,000 = 674 / 1,663</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 1360 + 1000 = 2360</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 5</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You have gained two levels!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 9</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 400 + 50 + 50 = 500 / 500</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 450 + 50 + 50 = 550 / 550</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>4 ability points added. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability Points : 2 + 2 + 2 = 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 6</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to constant use, Water Manipulation has levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Manipulation</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 2 : Cost 74 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 7</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to constant use, Water Spikes has levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 2 - Cost 100 MP | Damage 550)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Notification 8</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to constant use, Observe levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe now shows what people feel about you. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Range : 10 levels above you and all levels below.)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy sat still as his jaw dropped. He did not know what to think of the amount of rewards and level ups he had received from one dungeon. This was way beyond his expectations and he did not know how to react. Before he could lose his thought, he quickly pressed on the resurrection stone and brought it from his inventory. Now that he had a closer look at it, he could see that it was in fact a pure black ring etched with diamonds throughout with a black stone set on it. The stone glowed purple as it gave him a feeling of death.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>'<strong>Observe</strong>'.</p><p>
  <strong>Resurrection Stone</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Can resurrect anyone to fight on your side.)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Upto 100 levels over wielder.)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Upto 4 at a time.)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>A stone blessed by Death. It allows its wielder to resurrect upto 4 spirits bound to it.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy just stared at it. This. This just changed things by a huge margin. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine having power over death and being able to reincarnate someone and that too his ally which would be bound to him and follow his orders. He was visibly excited to try it out but he didn't want to tip off Grover about it. He turned around to see that the satyr was still asleep. He quickly got up, freshened up and ran to the clearing once again.</p><p>Percy stood at the clearing as he got the ring out yet again. He slipped it on his finger and to his surprise, it fitted perfectly. It seemed as though the ring adjusted its size for its new wielder. He did not know how to use it so he just went with his instincts and tried to connect with it just as he did with water. As he concentrated, he could feel the ring light up and glow brighter than before. Suddenly, spirit like things or visuals materialised in front of him. He recognised these as the ones who he had killed in the dungeon. The Death Knight was easy to spot due to its height. Percy simply pointed at it and willed the ring to connect with it. The other images then dissolved as a wind-like thing flew to his ring and then proceeded to expand until he saw the Death Knight kneeling in front of him on one knee.</p><p>"Will you listen to all my commands?",Percy asked hesitantly.</p><p>The knight simply nodded.</p><p>"Cool, keep your stuff then. I won't use it anyway", Percy replied as he summoned the sword and shield from the inventory. The knight graciously picked them up and nodded its head in acknowledgement.</p><p>"You can return now", Percy said. He still felt uneasy at the thought of commanding someone to do things as per his whims but he also needed someone to help out in tough situations. The latter part of his inner turmoil had won as he had reincarnated the knight. Seeing that he was done for now, Percy headed for breakfast. Seeing that he was early and it being a Sunday, there were fewer people than the last time he was here. Since he already had a lot of food stored in his inventory, he didn't need any more of it though he did stack up on 5 more bottles of water. He grabbed a plate and served himself breakfast fit for a king. He practically hadn't eaten since yesterday and he was starving. Percy looked around to see a familiar red hair waving at him from one of the corner tables. Percy raised an eye at that. Until yesterday, she was hostile towards him and now her attitude towards him had suddenly taken a 180 degree turn. He was glad though that he could be there for her and she thought of him as a friend now if anything else. He made his way to her table and slid in the seat opposite to her and gave her his soon-to-be signature lopsided smile. With that, breakfast passed.</p><p>Percy returned to his room to find Grover awake.</p><p>"Hey Perce, you ready for the museum trip tomorrow?", Grover asked.</p><p>"Huh? What trip?", the ever so intelligent Percy replied. Even though he did become wiser than before, he still had his self professed moments of stupidity; how someone could achieve this of both worlds was still beyond him but he somehow managed to pull it off.</p><p>"Our class trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Mr. Brunner. He announced it last week during Greek class."</p><p>"Huh, must've forgotten about it."</p><p>
  <em>x.x</em>
</p><p>
  <em>~ Next day ~</em>
</p><p>"Here we have a statue of Kronos as he ate his children", the voice of Mr. Brunner rang out as he obsessed over the Greek statues and paintings around the museum. "Can someone mention the significance of this event? I have asked this in class before, those paying attention would be able to answer it."</p><p>Percy ignored him as he looked around the museum trying to find something of interest. Ms. Dodds has also accompanied them for some reason and had been glaring a hole at his head since the start of the trip. He was annoyed by the constant icy stare and his ADHD too hadn't been helping. He simply could not focus, not until he saw something that made him grin ear to ear.</p><p>"Mr. Brunnner", Percy interrupted Chiron.</p><p>"Yes Mr. Jackson?"</p><p>"What is this painting about?"</p><p>Chiron to his credit had somehow managed to react outwardly as he managed to keep a poker face at this. Mrs. Dodds on the other hand was another story altogether.</p><p>"This picture represents Hades along with the Three Kindly Ones who help him watch over the Underworld", Chiron said carefully. Percy ignored the tone.</p><p>"So he basically created three bats to look over a place of death? What exactly do they even do other than hang upside down?" Just as the words left his mouth, he felt a sudden spike in power and a feeling of intense hatred directed towards him. However, Percy simply ignored it and continued, "I mean come on, how can these old people do anything anyway? Shouldn't they simply, I don't know, retire?"</p><p>By now, Alecto was seething. No mortal or demigod had ever had the guts to insult her or her sisters. Those who did were dragged to the Underworld, granting them an early death, where they were punished for it. Even though they weren't extremely powerful, they still had a lot of authority since they directly worked under Hades.</p><p>"Mr. Jackson", Chiron said in a warning tone trying to placate the situation.</p><p>"<em>Honey</em>", the sweet voice of Alecto drifted out.</p><p>Percy turned towards her and gave a sickeningly sweet smile as he matched her tone, "Yes, Ms. Dodds?"</p><p>By now, Grover had gone into a full blown panic as his face adopted a look of horror.</p><p>"Come, I need to have a word with you. Alone", as she eyed Chiron.</p><p>Chiron seemed apprehensive to leave Percy and Alecto alone. Even Grover would not be much of a match against a Fury. On the other hand, he needed to get the mortals out of danger as well since only he and Alecto were here, he had to escort them out. He was stuck in this dilemma until he caught Percy's eye. Percy discreetly nodded, conveying that everything would be fine and he didn't need to worry about it. Truth was, Percy was shared shitless but he also needed to get rid of her since she kept a constant eye on him and that she was a constant danger to him. Percy was certainly not okay with a monster so close to him and since his escapades yesterday, he devised that he had a fighting chance if not outright death.</p><p>The group then moved forward as Percy and Alecto moved to a remote part of the museum.</p><p>"It was only a matter of time before we found you Perseus Jackson", Alecto started. Welp, that did not bode well. Whenever someone used his full name, it usually meant that trouble was brewing and considering the fact that he was the one to instigate it in this case was really no brainer. He should have really thought this through instead of just outright instigating and challenging a Fury.</p><p>"I knew I smelled the sea on you but I did not know for sure. However, since the last few days, the scent seemed to be getting stronger. Initially, the master wanted to confirm what he had heard but now that you have revealed what you know, I shall first claim your soul and then inform the master about it. No one in their right mind would antagonise a Kindly One."</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Kill Alecto.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>500 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$1000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>"So you're just a puppet?" Percy asked, completely ignoring her rant as he accepted the quest.</p><p>"Silence", Alecto bellowed as her eyes began to glow like barbecue coals. Her fingers stretched, turning into talons. Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings and claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs, and she looked ready to slice him into ribbons.</p><p>"Have you considered visiting a dentist? Because you really need to", Percy blurted out. Alecto hissed as she got angrier.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill unlocked, Taunt.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Taunt (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Make your enemies angrier. Increase their chance of making a mistake by 5%.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>This was exactly what he needed. Just as Alecto flapped her wings and jumped towards Percy, he pulled out his sword and shield seemingly out of thin air. He was able to deflect the first blow with his shield but got staggered in the process.</p><p>"What kind of sorcery is this?!", Alecto hissed. "Never mind because you would be dead."</p><p>As Percy prepared for her next attack, he realised that the shield had already been dented. He decided to keep it for the time being since it still offered some protection. Alecto suddenly grabbed the shield as she yanked it back. She was stronger than she looked as Percy with his level of strength was unable to hold it. She then proceeded to throw it away and then immediately slashed her claws across his chest, drawing blood.</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 500 - 300 = 200</strong>
</p><p>Percy did not have the water bonus for his health. He had less than half his health and she could now basically one-shot him. That was not a happy thought, not in the least. He tried swinging his sword at her but it seemed to just pass through her. Percy drew a look of confusion and horror as the blade did not affect her in the least. Seeing his stupid expression, Alecto hissed with laughter or it so seemed.</p><p>"Foolish demigod, only a blade of godly origins can harm me", she explained.</p><p>'What was it with evil people explaining their own weakness?' Percy thought to himself. He however had more pressing issues. How can he harm her then?</p><p>Suddenly, Chiron appeared near one of the entrances still in his wheelchair.</p><p>"Percy, use this!" he exclaimed as he threw a pen at him.</p><p>Percy looked at Chiron as though he was an idiot. If a sword couldn't harm Alecto, how the Hades would a pen do? What would he do? Write on her with it or poke her with it? He had decided that if he died here, he would torment Chiron till the end of his days. He sighed as he uncapped the pen.</p><p>Immediately, it sprang into a beautiful 3 feet long blade which was shaped like a leaf. It was a shimmering bronze sword with a double-edged blade, a leather-wrapped grip and a flat hilt riveted with gold studs.</p><p>Percy did not have time to admire its beauty as his body suddenly moved on its own accord as he dodged a slash aimed at his head. He rolled sideways and got up with the sword ready. Alecto then flew right at him again this time ready to kill him for good. Percy went with his instincts as he stepped towards the side and brought the blade down from Alecto's shoulder to her other hip. The blade passed through her like a hot knife through butter. She then exploded into yellow powder and was no more. As the battle high faded, Percy looked around to see if there was anyone else only to find that he was alone. Chiron too had disappeared.</p><p>His wound was still bleeding so he summoned a bottle of water from his inventory and poured it over himself feeling the cuts close and his HP restore. He then looked at the blade and used '<strong>Observe</strong>'.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Anaklusmos</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Forged by the Cyclopes, tempered in the heart of Mount Etna and cooled in the River Lethe, the sword contains the immortal power of </strong>
  <strong>Zoë Nightshade, one of the Hesperides. Hercules was its former owner.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>200 damage, 2% chance to instantly kill.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Bonus : 2x Damage to Monsters.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy whistled. Now that he had a good look at it, this sword was beautiful in its own aspect. It even seemed to glow as though it was familiar with him. Little did he know that the sword was most effective when wielded by those of the sea. Percy then noted the notification that had since popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Kill Alecto!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 674 + 500 = 1174 / 1663</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 2360 + 1000 = 3360</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Creeped out, Percy reached out and tapped it.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Grants shapeshifting powers. Can alter minor physical attributes. Effects increase with increase in proficiency. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy gaped. That was... unexpected. He realised that he needed to get out of here quickly since Chiron must be waiting for him outside. He quickly summoned his <strong>Resurrection Ring</strong> and got Alecto back.</p><p>"Master", she bowed.</p><p>He acknowledged her presence and then called her back into the ring as he was in a hurry. He would talk to her later about this change as he stored the ring back into the inventory. He didn't want people knowing about it since its appearance itself was outwardly. That was a bomb he wanted to avoid as much as he could.</p><p>With that over, Percy walked out of the museum as though nothing happened.</p><p>"Percy, where were you?", asked Nancy.</p><p>"In the museum, having a word with Ms. Dodds?" Percy replied though it came out more as a question since it did happen right in front of her.</p><p>"Who is Ms. Dodds?"</p><p>"Our new math teacher?"</p><p>"We never got one, what are you even blabbering about? Have you finally lost it?"</p><p>By now, Percy was more confused than anything. He needed answers and he reckoned that there was one person who could answer it better than anyone else. He excused himself and made his way to Chiron.</p><p>"Thanks for the pen", Percy said as he offered the pen/sword back to Chiron.</p><p>"Keep it. It is of more use to you than me Mr. Jackson and don't worry about losing it. It will always return to its owner", Chiron explained.</p><p>Percy nodded gratefully. This sword was far better than the iron one he had been using in the dungeon the day before. It was like a power upgrade if he had to say something about it. As Percy looked at the pen, it may have been a trick of the light but it seemed to be glowing with excitement. Unknown to Percy, the sword had craved the presence of the sea and now finally after thousands of years it finally had it. What better source than the son of the sea God himself?</p><p>"I still need to know why no one can remember Ms. Dodds", Percy said.</p><p>"Who are you talking about?"</p><p>"Do you really want to go down that line?", Percy said as he leaned near his ear and whispered, "<em>Chiron?"</em></p><p>Chiron on his part sat shell shocked. Never in his life would he have imagined to be discovered so easily and by a twelve year old more less! Chiron quickly schooled his features and replied, "We will talk about it once we're back".</p><p>Satisfied, Percy nodded as he went back to the mass of students.</p><p>
  <em>~Timeskip : Back to school in Chiron's room~</em>
</p><p>"So Percy, how did you know about Alecto?", Chiron asked as Grover stood nearby eating an apple nervously.</p><p>"Trade secrets", Percy quipped. He wasn't letting anyone in on the fact that they literally had giant floating identification bubbles over their heads in his eyes.</p><p>"And do you know what you are?"</p><p>"Demigod".</p><p>It looked as though him having the knowledge of his birth and origins was something that they did not count on as Grover was almost ready to faint from the revelation. His worry had skyrocketed since Percy's aura seemed to grow more potent and could easily match that of one of the children of the Big Three. He did not want another failure and he needed to save Percy's life as well.</p><p>"Speak to your mother. Tell her Chiron says 'It's time', she will understand. The summer break starts tomorrow and the earlier this is taken care of, the better it is."</p><p>Done with the conversation, Percy proceeded to walk back the clearing near the entrance to the Labyrinth and idlelly scrolled through his stats, inventory and the likes when suddenly an epiphany hit him. His inventory box could hold anything of any size as long as Percy could lift it and put it inside, Percy remembered. So in the event someone tried to shoot him or throw a knife at him, he could practically increase the size of the box and store everything in it immediately. Realising this, Percy felt like an idiot.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>For finding another loophole in the system through your logical thinking as well as realising your self-admitted moment of being an idiot, WIS has increased.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 8 + 1 = 9</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy's eye twitched. This game had its own sick sense of humour.</p><p>
  <em>x.x</em>
</p><p>
  <em>~Timeskip : Outside Percy's apartment~</em>
</p><p>Percy stood in front of his apartment with clear reluctance and disdain on his face. He was apprehensive to enter as he now would have to meet an animal in human skin. He wouldn't have entered this place if it weren't for his mom. He reached out and knocked on the door.</p><p>Just a moment later, Sally came out to greet him in all her glory as the Goddess of Moms, Blue Food and most importantly, Blue Cookies. According to Percy, no one could ever match up to her. She was simply too good for this world and sometimes even wondered whether she was real to begin with. She was that amazing.</p><p>"Percy!", Sally greeted with a huge smile on her face as she immediately enveloped her baby in a tight hug.</p><p>"I had missed you so much, you have certainly grown quite a bit since I last saw you", she said appraisingly.</p><p>Percy to his credit blushed at the praise. He had certainly become a bit more developed ever since he discovered the gaming system and his origins. Even though it had hardly been a month, there were still faint traces of muscles being developed and Percy no longer looked frail as his body became healthier.</p><p>"It's good to see you too Mom", he replied with a matching grin. However, that grin was knocked off his face as he noticed something on her face that he previously hadn't. There was a bruising on her face which was still being healed as though someone had hit her. It didn't take a genius to add up the facts as immediately Percy adopted a look of rage on his face.</p><p>"Where is he?" he growled.</p><p>"Honey, it is alright. You don't have to worry - ", Sally tried before she was cut off.</p><p>"This is the final straw. He hit you. The moment he did, he was gone. Till I was there, it was fine but not anymore", Percy growled as his previously calm, beautiful sea green eyes turned into a harsher and darker shade of green, the color of a storm brewing. A storm, which would destroy everything in its path with nothing to stop it. The storm's target was Gabe and today would be his final day.</p><p>"Mom, please grab the bags and go sit in the car", Percy managed to say calmly. They were supposed to go to Montauk today as their custom and the day had already been ruined. Sally wanted to protest but knew that there was no stopping her son, not right now. She wasn't that worried for him against Gabe since what could a mortal do against the son of a God? She just nodded, grabbed their bags and walked out of the apartment.</p><p>"I am not comfortable with what you are doing dear and I would still implore you to forget about it", Sally tried.</p><p>"No mom, this I have to do", was the immediate reply as he turned towards the open apartment door.</p><p>"Sally? What the hell is taking you so long to get me a beer? Do you want me to come over there and whip you into obedience?", shouted Gabe from within the apartment. Little did he know that he had already signed his death warrant and was soon going to go on a date with him to the Underworld. Percy was going to make sure of that.</p><p>Percy then proceeded to walk into the apartment as he noted the discarded beer bottles, pizza boxes and many other things that littered the place. He saw the animal sitting on the couch watching tv.</p><p>"Oh so you're back punk", he said.</p><p>Percy didn't reply and merely stayed quiet as he proceeded to think about a way to kill this filth.</p><p>"Are you deaf? Or should I kill that bitch mother of yours to teach you some lesson? Or better yet, should I teach her a lesson so that she knows how to raise her kid right?"</p><p>By now Percy was seething. Never had anyone tested his patience like this animal did. He suddenly felt it, it was fleeting and could've been easily missed but he caught the rope of connection like he did when he had tried to control water. This time round, the connection seemed to be of water but it was of a form which was something far more potent : blood.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability unlocked, Blood Control! </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Blood Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Control the flow of blood within any being.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Cost : 150 MP / min | Range : All levels below you)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy used this new connection as he felt the flow of blood within Gabe's body.</p><p>"I will use these two same hands to discipline her as I did a few days ago. She would not stop sobbing. She needs to be trained", the animal continued.</p><p>Percy reached out and commanded the blood flowing into Gabe's right hand to pump faster and then he made it stop there. As more and more blood started flowing in with the rest of it not being circulated, the hand started to expand as it suddenly burst into a shower of bones, flesh and red liquid. Percy being extra precautious had already summoned some water and commanded it to form a gag over Gabe's mouth to avoid any sound going out. Gabe screamed himself hoarse as tears fell uncontrollably from his face. He clutched the stump which was formerly his hand and kept crying but Percy was not going to have any of it. He felt the blood in the other hand and commanded it to do the same as the other hand which was clutching the place where the first used to be also broke like the former. Gabe was now holding both stumps in front of him with his eyes wide as he kept screaming in shock and crying in pain.</p><p>Percy eventually had enough of it as he made all the blood spontaneously clear the heart as it stopped beating. Since there was no more blood pumping to the brain or the heart, the body stopped responding as Gabe's eyes rolled back and he felt forward with a thump. Percy willed the blood to carry Gabe as he opened his inventory and chucked his body in it. He was going to have a few 'words' with Poseidon when he met him next.</p><p>The apartment was a mess with Gabe's blood and former hand all over the place. Percy opened a bottle of water and willed the water to clear all the blood and gore from the apartment as he flushed all evidence away.</p><p>Percy had kept a hard face on throughout the whole situation but couldn't stop thinking about what he had just done. This wasn't something he'd ever do or anyone his age should be exposed to but this needed to be done or else his mother would be hurt. This was the easiest choice he had to ever make and he didn't hesitate. Percy then walked out of the apartment, closing it behind him as this place held nothing more than nightmares. He would need to help find a new place for his mom and wouldn't mind doing so.</p><p>He finally reached the car and sat with mom. No words were exchanged, they didn't need to. Both knew how the other felt due to the bond only a mother and son could. The car ride to Montauk was a quiet affair, neither wanted to break the peaceful silence they had settled in. Soon, they reached their cabin and settled in.</p><p>It was nearly evening when Percy and Sally were in the kitchen. Suddenly, the door burst open as Percy immediately leapt on his feet summoning Riptide and stood protectively in front of his mom. As the figure looked up, Percy recognised the familiar face.</p><p>"What the hell Grover?", Percy blurted out before he could think of anything else.</p><p>Grover was scared more than ever as he looked at Sally and said the words she never thought she had to hear, "We need to get him to camp right now. It is coming after him."</p><p>Sally immediately understood as she left everything, took the car keys and grabbed Percy as she dragged him towards the car while Grover followed closely behind.</p><p>"Mom, what's going on?" Percy asked, a little fearful.</p><p>"Honey, I am taking you to a place where you will be safe. Your father asked me to take you to it at the earliest possible but I did not want you so far away from me. I tried to keep you as long as I could but it seems that the time has come for you to stay there", Sally replied.</p><p>"Perce, it is a camp where more demigods like you live and train", Grover supplied. "Right now, we need to reach that place since you are at risk right now."</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Reach camp safely!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP 1000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New friends</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>+2 ability points</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Destruction of the world</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy stared at the screen. Why on earth did the safety of the world depend on him reaching camp? He did not have time to dwell as he accepted the quest. The system really had a sick sense of humour or it was being correct Percy did not know. For now, he needed to reach this camp quickly.</p><p>Rain had suddenly started pouring down and the visibility had reduced significantly. Sally was able to expertly navigate the roads as she gunned the engine.</p><p>Suddenly, an inhumane roar tore through the rain and Grover turned white as a sheet.</p><p>"Grover, what is that?", Percy asked fearfully. Before his emotions could rise further, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> took control once again as Percy immediately calmed down.</p><p>"We just need to reach quickly", Grover replied.</p><p>Suddenly, a tree came flying out of nowhere and landed on the road ahead of them almost hitting the car. Sally swerved as she tried to avoid the tree in front whilst keeping control of the car. However, the car skidded off the road and ended up on the side of the road, unable to move.</p><p>"Everyone out, quickly!", Sally screamed. This was unlike his mother to be so panicked. Percy quietly complied as he kicked open the door and helped Grover out.</p><p>Suddenly out of the woods a tall silhouette appeared. Lightning cracked as the figure was now revealed.</p><p>It was seven feet tall. It's arms and legs were bulging with muscles he couldn't even begin to name. It wore no clothes except under-wear. All that was fine. The issue was with its upper body. Coarse brown hair started at about its belly button and got thicker as it reached its shoulders. Its neck was a mass of muscle and fur leading up to its enormous head, which had a snout as long as his arm, snotty nostrils with a gleaming brass ring, cruel black eyes, and enormous black and white horns. Percy immediately recognised it though Grover was the one to voice it albeit hesitantly.</p><p>"M-M-Minouatur", Grover blabbered.</p><p>"RUN", Sally screamed.</p><p>The trio ran towards a hill where a pine tree stood tall and mighty. As they ran, the Minotaur charged at them and swung its massive axe. Sally and Percy managed to avoid it but Grover was unlucky as he got caught on the flat of its blade thankfully and was sent sprawling upwards.</p><p>"Grover", Percy screamed. Seeing his best friend get hurt made Percy's concern skyrocket. He kept running as he reached Grover and hauled him up. Sally supported him with Grover in between them as they carried Grover up the hill.</p><p>The Minotaur suddenly charged again but this time it reached out with his hand and suddenly grabbed Sally as she was trying to dodge the swinging axe. Just as he got a hold of her, Percy watched with dread as Sally's face converted into that of extreme fright. He watched as the Minotaur squeezed his mother in its hand as she writhed in pain when suddenly she burst into a golden light and disappeared. At that, the world stopped for Percy. He looked around, trying to find his mother but saw no sign of her. Dread settled in but more than that, anger was at the surface. This monster had just taken his mother from him. It was not going to survive.</p><p>Percy unceremoniously dropped Grover as he summoned Riptide and the Resurrection Stone. He connected to the ring and summoned the Death Knight. He needed all the help he could get. His anger kept going up as he replayed the dreadful moment again and again. Suddenly, he felt another tug in his gut but unlike last time, it was strong. He reached and connected to it as he suddenly felt the storm around him and the location of each drop of water as it felt on the Earth below.</p><p>
  <strong>You are in contact with water! All water related bonuses activated!</strong>
</p><p>Percy ignored the notification as he willed the water to fall even more, battering the entire place with rain.</p><p>"Attack him", was the simple order from Percy as the Death Knight charged at the minotaur. Whilst they were locked in a battle with none of them gaining an upper hand. In his anger induced state during the battle, he gained greater clarity and control as he took note of all his surroundings.</p><p>Percy willed multiple spears to form from water as he recalled the Death Knight. He willed the spears to attack the Minotaur at high speeds, each finding its mark. The Minotaur's knees shattered first as it fell on the ground, then its arms were pierced in multiple places and the axe fell on the ground as the nerves connecting to its hands were destroyed. Percy then walked to the Minotaur and looked at it with hate with his dark green eyes swirling like the storm around him. He raised Riptide and brought it down as the blade passed through everything with hardly any resistance - it severed one of the Minotaur's horns and continued on its path as it finally dug into the Minotaur's neck, finally killing the monster. As per custom, the Minotaur burst into a yellow substance as it disappeared.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited Skill unlocked, Control Storms!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 1 : Summon a few clouds, providing light rainfall. Cost : 500 MP)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>As the son of Poseidon, you have control over storms.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New ability unlocked, Water Spear!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 1 : Cost 50 MP / spear | Damage 100)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Make a spear out of water.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy threw the horn of the Minotaur into his inventory, dismissing the notifications as he ran back to Grover. The storm was over as Percy receded control over it and the rain turned into a drizzle. He quickly picked up Grover as he walked up the remaining few metres up the hill. As he passed the tree, he felt some resistance until it disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Reach camp safely.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards added.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 1174 + 1000 = 511 / 160</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability Points : 6 + 2 = 8</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level Up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 11</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 500 + 50 = 550 / 550</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 550 + 50 = 600 / 600</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability Points : 8 + 2 = 10</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>In the distance, Percy could see a large building which he assumed must be a house. He walked towards it and as he reached its stairs, he dumped Grover as he too fell beside him. Killing Gabe, losing his mother and then the fight with the Minotaur had finally taken a toll on him - menatlly and physically. Just as he was about to temporarily drift into the world of the dead, two faces filled his vision. One was a familiar-looking bearded man, the other was a pretty girl, her blonde hair curled like Cinderella's. They both looked at him as he heard the girl say, "He's the one. He must be."</p><p>With that, Percy's world went black.</p><p>
  <em>x.x</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Percy's Stats</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in combat and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 11</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp - 511 / 2160</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 550 / 550 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 14 (+ 2 + 20) </strong>
  <strong>(Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 7 (+ 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 7 (+2 + 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 11 </strong>
  <strong>(Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 9</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 10 </strong>
  <strong>(Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 10</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $3360 / D0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : Demigod</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Skills</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 16)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 1 - 3 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 3 - 26 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Taunt (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God </strong>
  <strong>(Gives +20 STR, VIT &amp; DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 10)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Manipulation (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Blood Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>x.x</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>A/N</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>And that's the end of the chapter. I introduced quite a few essential skills in this chapter and we're onto the canon now. Of course there will be some changes to it so looking forward to that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Do favourite and review!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Welp, that's that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Until next time.</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. New Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Chapter 6: New Family</b>
</p><p>Percy groaned as he woke up, instinctively swiping away the screen that popped up in front of him. His body somehow felt weak as though he didn't have any muscles and just the act of moving would exhaust it. He tried to gain some level of clarity in regards to his surroundings but so far was failing as everything still seemed jumbled up until the recently transpired events hit him. Montauk, the fight with the Minotaur, carrying Grover to the big house and most of all his mother disappearing. He did not know what had happened to her or what the yellow particles signified. For all purposes, she may have died or worse, something else must've happened to her. Before he could start panicking for her, Gamer's Mind kicked in and instantly calmed his worried mind.</p><p>"Relax Perce, don't strain yourself", a familiar voice rang out.</p><p>Percy turned around to see Grover sitting beside his bed with an orange t-shirt on. That was okay but what shocked him was the brown fur poking out from his legs and the hoof present instead of a human foot that he had.</p><p>Seeing Percy's face and the unasked question, Grover explained, "Yes, I am a satyr but you already knew that didn't you? And yes, I have a hoof as a foot."</p><p>Percy just nodded along. After all that had transpired till now, he wasn't exactly surprised anymore. Just then he realised he was thirsty, he looked around for some water and sure enough, beside him lay a tall glass of what seemed like iced-apple juice, with a green straw. He gently grabbed and brought the straw to his lips and drank the juice. However, the taste he had expected was completely different from the one he was currently experiencing. He tasted his mom's homemade blue chocolate-chip cookies but in liquid form as she sometimes gave it to him. The taste was exactly the same and he tried not to start crying again since he missed her so much right now.</p><p>"Perce, I am so sorry", Grover started snapping Percy out of his thoughts.</p><p>"Why?", Percy asked.</p><p>"I was supposed to protect you and I - I failed. I couldn't do anything except get whacked around when the Minotaur came and both of you had to carry me because of which your mother might be dead. I literally did nothing", Grover replied with tears now starting to form on his face.</p><p>"G-man, this isn't your fault, relax. I too was terrified but the only reason why we could make it was because of what happened, it would've been difficult to beat it otherwise." Percy didn't blame Grover in the least and didn't want his best friend to keep getting bothered by it.</p><p>"Alright. By the way, how are you feeling now?"</p><p>"Like I could kill the monster once again but more easily this time."</p><p>"That's good. Come on, can you get up? Mr.D and Chiron are waiting for you."</p><p>"Mr. D?"</p><p>"You'll see."</p><p>Percy then got out of bed and stumbled a bit but rightened himself quickly. They walked out of the room and onto the porch at the back of the house Percy had seen from the hill when he had been carrying Grover. Percy caught his breath. They must've been on the north shore of Long Island, because on the side of the house, the valley marched all the way up to Long Island Sound, which glittered about a mile in the distance. The landscape was dotted with buildings that looked like Ancient Greek architecture - an open air pavilion, an amphitheatre, a circular area - except they all looked brand new, their white marble columns sparkling in the sun. In a nearby sandpit, a dozen high school-age kids and satyrs played volleyball. Canoes glided across a small lake. Kids in bright orange T-shirts like Grover's were chasing each other around a cluster of cabins nestled in the woods. Some shot targets at an archery range. Others rode horses down a wooded trail, and, unless Percy was hallucinating, some of the horses had wings.</p><p>Down at the porch, two men sat across from each other at a card table. The blonde haired girl who he had seen briefly was leaning on the porch rail next to them.</p><p>The man facing Percy was small, but porky. He had a red nose, big watery eyes and curly hair so black that it was almost purple. He wore a tiger-pattern Hawaiin shirt, and he would've fitted right in at one of Gabe's poker parties, except Percy got the feeling that this guy could've out-gambled Gabe too. Even though he was not a role model when it came to a human physique, there was some sort of hidden danger to him. Percy used Observe and his mouth dropped in surprise.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Dionysus - god of wine, fertility and theatre</b>
</p><p>
  <b>HP : ?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>MP : ?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>Before Grover could say anything, Percy beat him to it.</p><p>"Dionysus", Percy said.</p><p>Dionysus for his part raised an eyebrow as he looked at Percy somewhat with interest. "This is the first time someone has been able to identify me so quickly. How did you know me?"</p><p>He either seemed to be looking for praise or smite Percy if he deemed Percy 'dangerous'. Percy decided to go big as per custom.</p><p>"Even though you may seem lazy, you command authority and power underneath. With the tiger pattern shirt and the way the plants seem to come alive around you narrows down the list marginally to one god - Dionysus, god of wine, fertility and theatre."</p><p>A ghost of a smile etched on Dionysus usually scowl face. He seemed to buy his excuse and seemed quite pleased with the way Percy described him.</p><p>"You have taught this brat well Chiron. What is your name?" he said before turning to Percy.</p><p>"Perseus Jackson but call me Percy".</p><p>"Very well Percy. Welcome to Camp Half Blood. Hope you don't die soon, it would be a shame since you're the first demigod in quite a while who seems to have caught a little bit of my interest."</p><p>All the while, the blonde haired girl listened to the conversation with wide eyes. This was the first time she had ever seen the usually irritable god have a friendly conversation with someone, much less a demigod, who it seems he disliked having around. This boy was certainly an interesting person. He did something no one ever could and this in itself was enough for her to try and get to know him. She had already started coming up with plans to speak to him later or quiz him on different topics; she would've taken some notes but alas, someone HAD to interrupt her planning as she snapped out of her thoughts at the mention of her name.</p><p>"... and this is Annabeth", Grover finished.</p><p>Annabeth glared at Grover who squirmed under her gaze much to her satisfaction. Percy on the other hand, seemed quite enthralled by her.</p><p>Just as Grover had introduced Percy to Annabeth, Percy had a good look at the girl who had said those words before he had passed out from the day's events at the entrance of the house. She seemed to be his age, probably a couple of centimeters taller, and a whole lot more athletic looking. With her deep tan and her curly blonde hair, she was almost exactly what he thought a stereotypical California girl would look like, except her eyes ruined the were a startling grey, like storm clouds; pretty but intimidating too, as if she were analysing the best way to take him down in a fight.</p><p>Annabeth then turned to Percy who fully expected her to compliment him for taking down the Minotaur but his expectations were wrapped up, locked and thrown into the deepest trenches of the ocean.</p><p>"You drool when you sleep", was all that she said as she turned around and sprinted off down the lawn, her blonde hair flying behind her.</p><p>"Well, I'll go and have a nap before the evening sing-along", Dionysus said as he finished his game and walked off inside the house.</p><p>"Come Percy, I will show you around the camp", Chiron said as he rose from his wheelchair to his centaur form. He stretched a bit if that's what centaur's did as he breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>Percy first passed the volleyball pit. He could make out several campers nudging each other at pointing at him none too subtly. He could not hear what they were saying but it was probably related to the events that had transpired recently.</p><p>Percy then looked back at the farmhouse. It was a lot bigger than he had realised - four storeys tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upmarket seaside resort. Moving forward, they walked through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking out brussels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a musical instrument which looked like a reed pipe Percy guessed. Chiron had told him that the camp grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants which paid for their expenses. Moreover, growing strawberries didn't take any effort whatsoever. Percy guessed it was due to Dionysus' presence that the fruit bearing plants became even better in quality than they could.</p><p>The duo then moved towards the woods which Percy realised was bigger it looked from the distance. It took up at least a quarter of the valley, with extremely tall and thick trees.</p><p>"The woods are filled with monsters. If you want to train, you should be armed and I recommend having a few people with you in case things go south", Chiron said.</p><p>They continued to the archery range, the canoeing lake, the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheatre, the mess hall which was an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea with a dozen picnic tables, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights.</p><p>Finally, they came to the cabin area. There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. And they were without doubt the most bizarre collection of buildings Percy had ever seen.</p><p>Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they looked absolutely nothing alike. Number nine had smokestacks like a tiny factory. Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass. Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at. They all faced a common area about the size of a soccer field,, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops.</p><p>In the centre of the field was a huge stone-lined fire pit. Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smouldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick. However, Percy felt a warmth coming from the girl herself which piqued his curiosity. He quickly used Observe and well, for the second time of the day, his mouth fell open.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Hestia - goddess of hearth and family</b>
</p><p>
  <b>HP : ?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>MP : ?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>He excused himself from Chiron's tour as something in him told him to go and meet her. He followed his instincts since they had been right till now and walked over to her. He approached the little girl and sat beside her making sure to keep a little distance out of respect for the goddess.</p><p>"Lady Hestia", Percy said with a bow of his head.</p><p>The goddess in question looked at Percy with surprise in her glowing eyes of fire which danced with warmth and compassion.</p><p>"And who might you be, young demigod?"</p><p>"Perseus Jackson, my lady but call me Percy, I prefer that."</p><p>"Well Percy, it seems you're the new arrival I have been hearing talks about around the camp and from what I observed, you seem to have also garnered the attention of my nephew who hardly takes any interest in demigods even though he was one before he ascended", she replied.</p><p>"Umm, thanks?", Percy wasn't used to being praised and here he was being praised by a goddess herself so naturally he didn't know how to react.</p><p>Hestia laughed a little at his antics which filled his heart with a warmth and he liked it. He wanted to hear the goddess more.</p><p>Suddenly, realisation dawned on Percy.</p><p>"Lady Hestia, why is it that none of the campers are approaching you or acknowledging you since you're sitting right in the middle not to mention, you're the eldest of the children of Kronos and Rhea", Percy asked curiously.</p><p>Again Hestia smiled as she replied, "Only people with the strongest sense of family and love can sense my presence here. I am the very hearth of this camp and at Olympus due to which I am present and not present at the same time. For you to be able to see me and talk to me means that you have exceptional loyalty for your loved ones. Am I right Percy? And please call me Hestia."</p><p>Percy for his part was shocked. The goddess here was able to know who he was as a person within a span of 5 minutes. But then again, she was a goddess Percy mused.</p><p>"You are right Hestia."</p><p>"I know, young hero. Now, I think you should continue with your tour, Chiron seems in a hurry and it's bad manners to keep someone waiting. I will be watching over you, you are certainly an interesting and kind person Percy", she said as she vanished in a burst of flames.</p><p>Percy walked back to Chiron who had decided not to comment on the interaction between Percy and the goddess lest the boy ended up unconscious from information overload. Inwardly, Chiron was simply astonished. He had never seen Hestia interact with any of the campers but she seemed to be having fun interacting with the young godling in front of him. He assumed Percy was unaware that the girl who he had just spoken to was in fact, a goddess. Percy on the other hand was happy with the interaction between him and the goddess as well as the fact that she didn't ask him about how he knew about her. He really did not want to lie to such a kind and gentle goddess like her. Percy usually wasn't one for authority courtesy of the amount of schools he had been kicked out of but something about Hestia made him respect her and always be open and honest with her, he loved this feeling.</p><p>The duo then continued with the tour. The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, looked like his-and-hers mausoleums, big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front. Cabin one was the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve. Its polished bronze doors shimmered like a holograph, so that from different angles lightning bolts seemed to streak across them. Cabin two was more graceful somehow, with slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with images of peacocks.</p><p>"Zeus and Hera", Percy said. He did not need to make any guesses.</p><p>"Correct", replied Chiron.</p><p>As he looked at the cabins, Percy realised that each cabin belonged to one god. Twelve cabins for the twelve Olympians. But why would some be empty?</p><p>Percy stopped in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three. It wasn't high and mighty like cabin one, but long and low and solid. The outer walls were of rough grey stone studded with pieces of seashell and coral, as if the slabs had been hewn straight from the bottom of the ocean floor. Percy peeked inside the open doorway. As soon he did, he caught the salty scent of the interior, like the wind on the shore at Montauk. The interior walls glowed like abalone. Oddly enough, the scent seemed to calm down Percy and he felt at home. Percy realised this was the Poseidon cabin - his father's. There were six empty bunk beds with silk sheets turned down. But there was no sign anyone had ever slept there. Before he could do anything, Chiron pulled him out gently wordlessly.</p><p>Most of the other cabins were sprawled with campers. Number five was bright red - a real nasty paint job, as if the colour has been splashed on with buckets and fists. The roof was lined with barbed wire. A stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway, and its eyes seemed to follow Percy. Inside he could see a bunch of mean-looking kids, both girls and boys, arm wrestling and arguing with each other while rock music blared. The loudest was a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL Camp Half-Blood T-shirt under a camouflage jacket. She zeroed in on Percy and gave him an evil sneer. Her hair was long, stingy and brown in colour. Percy ignored her and followed Chiron.</p><p>As soon as they were done seeing the camp and had reached the cabins, Chiron spotted Annabeth and walked over to her.</p><p>The blonde girl Percy had met at the Big House was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven. When they reached her, she looked over Percy critically, like she was still thinking about how much he drooled. Annabeth on her part was still appraising the demigod in front of her who intrigued her.</p><p>"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have archery class at noon. Would you take Percy from here?"</p><p>"Yes sir", she said as Chiron trotted away.</p><p>She then turned towards Percy, "What exactly did you do?"</p><p>Despite his increase in intelligence, Percy still needed to catch up on things hence, his brilliant response - "Huh?"</p><p>"How did you get Dionysus of all people to end up liking you? You are the first demigod in my time here to not only identify him as the correct god but also manage to impress him if his reaction was anything to go by", she explained.</p><p>"Huh oh about that, well, it was as I said earlier, he had a somewhat purple aura around him which reminded me of grapes. Then, the tiger print shirt and the fact that the nature around him seemed to be bustling with life clued me to the fact that he was a nature god. There are only two male nature gods that come to mind - Pan and Dionysus. Since Pan is said to be a satyr, it eliminates him leaving Dionysus. Hence, me being able to identify him", Percy explained. He tried to sound as truthful and logical as he could while trying to avoid the fact that he didn't need to deduce so much and just needed to say a simple word.</p><p>Fortunately for him, Annabeth seemed to regard him for a moment before nodding her head as she accepted his explanation.</p><p>"Whose child are you?", Annabeth asked.</p><p>At his questioning glance, she continued, "You clearly are smart if not overly so which would usually entail you being a child of Athena. However, you do not possess the one trait which usually sets us apart" Annabeth then pointed at her eyes. "All the children of Athena have the same coloured eyes so I'm going to go on a limb and say that that's usually how it is. So I am intrigued, Percy".</p><p>Percy for his part didn't outwardly react though he was quite impressed by the way she deduced things and arrived at answers. However, he wanted to mess around with her even though she did seem trustworthy.</p><p>"It's a secret", Percy finally replied with a wink followed by a lopsided smile.</p><p>Annabeth blushed a little though she was able to hide it well. She couldn't deny the fact that Percy was somewhat good looking even though he was scrawny. It didn't help matters when she saw the most beautiful pair of sea green eyes she had ever seen. Nope, she didn't like him even a teeny tiny bit.</p><p>"Fine, I will figure it out myself", Annabeth huffed as she crossed her arms.</p><p>It was now dinner time and campers had started filing out of their cabins to head to the dining pavilion Percy had seen earlier. To say Percy was starving would be an understatement as he realised he hadn't eaten anything since the time he had left Yancy Academy.</p><p>As if reading his thoughts, rather, his stomach's thoughts, Annabeth said, "Come on, let's eat" as she guided him to the area. By now, all the campers had gathered along with Chiron and Dionysus.</p><p>Just as they entered the dining pavilion, the late evening sky was suddenly replaced by dark storm clouds as thunder cracked loudly. Most of the campers looked around in alarm, even the collected Annabeth. Percy shot her a questioning glance which she answered.</p><p>"The camp is protected by magical borders so it never rains or snows and the weather is always perfect regardless of the season in the outside world. This has never happened before", she explained. Percy could see the fear in her eyes as her grey eyes dulled.</p><p>Before he could say anything, thunder cracked louder than before as rain started pouring, drenching everyone while the earth itself trembled a little in ecstasy. Suddenly, a bright eternal sea-green light blinded everyone as it emerged out of nowhere, surrounding Percy. As the light died down, everyone gasped when they saw Percy or rather what was above his head. Percy looked confused as to what was happening when he too looked up and saw gold trident surrounded by sea-green light floating above his head as it spun lazily. Almost immediately, the whole camp started kneeling except for Dionysus and Chiron.</p><p>"It is determined", Chiron's voice rang out for all to hear.</p><p>'What is?' Percy thought. He was still put off by the way everyone was kneeling on the ground in front of him as though he was a god.</p><p>"Poseidon," said Chiron. "Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God" he announced as lightning cracked, the earth shook and water dropped all around them as nature itself shook with excitement as the son of the sea god had returned and claimed by their ruler for all to bear witness.</p><p>Finally, the rain died and the clouds parted, showing the night sky blanketed with stars all across and the moon rose as Artemis started her journey across the skies.</p><p>The campers then stood up as they were miraculously dried up and the water vanished. They were still shocked by the way nature itself reacted to Percy's presence on being claimed. Earlier, most didn't think much of him due to his stature and persona. However, now they were forced to look at him in a new light. Annabeth on the other hand, was shell shocked. She didn't know anything about Percy so she assumed he was the son of Demeter - going by his sea green eyes since she did not have much to work on and it was highly unlikely for one of the big three to have children due to their oath. But this, this changed everything!</p><p>Percy just stood beside Annabeth awkwardly as he glanced at the campers. He wasn't used to this sort of attention in the least so all he could do was take interest in the ground and wished for it to open up and swallow him whole. He had wanted to keep this a secret for as long as he could since he thought it would be kind of a big deal for him to be the son of Poseidon but it seemed his father had other plans. Finally, his savior came in the form of Chiron.</p><p>"Campers, you may get back to your dinner and evening routine", Chiron bellowed as he stamped his hoof a few times to have their attention. Slowly but surely they started disbursing, some still whispering about the events that had just transpired amongst themselves. Annabeth squeezed his shoulder reassuringly to which he gave her a weak smile. She then walked off to a table with kids who had eyes the same colours as hers which he assumed were all the children of Athena. As Percy looked around, he realised that all the campers were sitting with their siblings. Chiron then walked up to Percy and guided him to a table which he said was the 'Poseidon table'. Percy was then served food by a nymph who smiled shyly at him. Percy returned her smile while muttering a 'thanks' much to her delight. Dinner was a quiet affair for Percy; not counting the stares and whispers directed at him.</p><p>As soon as he was done, Percy got up to leave but was caught by Chiron who informed him about the sing-along post dinner around the camp-fire where he had met Hestia. People were still milling around as he was the first one to finish his dinner. Percy quickly put his plate and walked to the campfire, slipping away before anyone could notice him. Sure enough, as he reached the pit, he saw Hestia tending to the flames as per usual. He quietly walked towards her and sat beside her the same way as he had earlier during the day.</p><p>"Hello nephew", Hestia greeted without turning around as her flaming eyes were focused on the hearth in front of them.</p><p>"Aunt Hestia", Percy greeted with a small bow of his head.</p><p>"You really don't have to bow Percy", she said.</p><p>Percy merely nodded as they both sat in a comfortable silence.</p><p>"It has been a long time since I met one of my younger brother's children", Hestia started, "maybe more than a millenia."</p><p>"Why so long? I am sure father must've had more kids during that time".</p><p>"A majority of them have been arrogant; blinded by the power and treating those weaker than them with disrespect," Hestia said as she turned to face Percy. "However, you have such a gentle and beautiful heart for those you love and care for whilst being down to earth. You truly are different for a son of Poseidon, I do hope you never forget who you are in your life wherever you may be."</p><p>"I promise aunt."</p><p>"Also, do not worry about being alone, there are lots of people who will be there for you regardless of how the time turns out. If not, I will always be there for my family", Hestia replied as she smiled fondly at her new nephew. He truly was special.</p><p>"Thank you, aunty"</p><p>"Just call me Hestia, Percy. I will see you soon. Remember, the hearth always welcomes family", she said cryptically as she disappeared in a burst of flames just as the first of the campers were walking towards the campfire.</p><p>After the talk with Hestia, Percy did feel better as he joined the rest of the campers at the sing-along around the campfire. Soon, they were done as Chiron guided Percy to cabin three which Percy had seen earlier. He was given a few pairs of clothes from the camp store since he didn't have any. It had been a long day as Percy finally settled in his bed to drift into blissful sleep. Even though he didn't need it thanks to his gamer's abilities, he wanted some normalcy and he was tired with that, Percy's world went black.</p><p>You have slept in your own bed! HP and MP restored!</p><p>Percy dismissed the notification with a wave of his hand instinctively. He rolled out of his bed and got ready for the first day in his new life at Camp Half-Blood.</p><p>It was still early morning when Percy walked out of his cabin; very few campers were out at that time. He walked to the dining pavilion to grab some early breakfast. He was planning on training in the sword fighting arena which he had seen the previous day. He wanted to get stronger and what better way than to train in a camp meant for this? Moreover, even though he had become intelligent compared to before, he still needed to become smarter and which place had the children of the goddess of wisdom herself? You guessed it. Speaking of which, Annabeth was sitting at one of the tables as she had her face buried in a book.</p><p>"Hey Annabeth", Percy greeted.</p><p>"Hey", she said. It was clear she was engaged with the book and wasn't going to pay attention anytime soon.</p><p>"I need help with becoming intelligent", Percy said. He assumed that a thirst for knowledge would be welcome by a child of Athena and lo and behold, it worked.</p><p>"What?" Annabeth said as she slowly put her book down as she looked at him as though he had grown a second head.</p><p>"I need help with studies", he repeated.</p><p>"Yes, I heard you the first time but it's surprising that you came to me for help."</p><p>"Why? Is that a bad thing?"</p><p>"Aren't you aware of the rivalry between the children of Poseidon and Athena?"</p><p>"I am but I figured that that's between our parents so why should we let it affect our friendship?"</p><p>Annabeth smiled at that. He was being surprisingly a bit mature. She never expected that from him since he looked like a troublemaker more than anything.</p><p>"Alright, grab something to eat and then we will start studying. Brace yourself, it isn't going to be easy", she warned.</p><p>It was early evening when Percy stumbled out of the Athena cabin with a few books in his hands. His hair was dishevelled even more than it usually was and he looked ready to die. The athenian kids had been relentless and had taken it up as their life's mission when Percy had asked them to teach him. Percy guessed him being the son of Poseidon only sweetened the deal marginally.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>INT : 11 + 2 = 13</b>
</p><p>
  <b>WIS : 9 + 1 = 10</b>
</p><p>
  <b>(+10% MP regenerate / min)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>MP : 20 + 2 = 22 / min</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>He had levelled up in a few hours with the Athenians more than he did in two to three days of school. Percy was stunned. He still had a few hours before nightfall where he planned to read more so he decided to head to the sword fighting arena. Once he reached there, he saw a tall and muscular boy with short-cropped sandy hair practicing with the dummies. He wore an orange tank top, cutoffs, sandals and a leather necklace with five different-coloured clay beads. The only thing unsettling about his appearance was a thick white scar that ran from just beneath his right eye to his jaw, like an old knife slash. He cleaved through the dummies easily with flawless swordplay. Whilst he was waiting, Percy decided to use Observe.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Luke Castellan</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Title : Son of Hermes</b>
</p><p>
  <b>HP : 2500 / 2500</b>
</p><p>
  <b>MP : 1200 / 1200</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Luke is a son of Hermes who hates his father due to his past. He wants to take revenge on the gods for not being there for their children when they needed them the most. He wants them to learn their lesson by waging war on them.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Luke hasn't meant Percy but thinks he is interesting.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>Once the now named Luke was done, Percy walked up to him.</p><p>"Hey, I am Percy", he introduced himself.</p><p>"Luke, son of Hermes", Luke returned.</p><p>"Your sword fighting skills are amazing!" Percy exclaimed. He was fascinated by it.</p><p>"Want to go a few rounds?" Luke offered.</p><p>Percy gladly accepted. A few hours later, Percy lay on the ground panting, covered in sweat. He had his ass handed to him thoroughly by Luke. The man was simply difficult to beat. However, he did level up twice in sword fighting though so that was a plus.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Sword Fighting (Level 4)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>7% more damage with swords.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>Once they had caught their breath, they walked for dinner which had just started. Once Percy took his plate, he saw a lot of campers lining up near the middle where they scraped a bit of their food into the fire.</p><p>"What are they doing?", Percy wondered aloud. Fortunately for him, Annabeth, who was standing nearby answered.</p><p>"Burnt offerings for the gods", she explained simply.</p><p>Percy nodded as he too walked into the line. Soon, it was his turn and he scraped a part of his food and dedicated each to different gods. First came his father, 'thanks for claiming me dad though we are still so not even for everything mom and I had to go through because of you'. Then the final one went to Hestia, 'thank you Hestia for being there for me. You are the best aunt and friend someone could ever ask for.' Just when he did, he swore he felt the fire burn a bit more brighter as its warmth seeped into his bones as though it appreciated his gesture.</p><p>Dinner and the sing-along went as normally as they did. All in all, it was a good day for Percy as he finally settled into his bed for a night of reading. He didn't need much sleep unless he was absolutely exhausted which he wasn't at the moment.</p><p>As Apollo rose from the sky in all his blazing glory, Percy walked out of his cabin. He had managed to level up his stats during the night and he was pleased with himself.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>INT : 13 + 1 = 14</b>
</p><p>
  <b>WIS : 10 + 1 = 11</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Modern English</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Level 16 + 2 = 18 (-10% to all forms of English, +5% for every level gained)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>His dyslexia had almost been cured now and he was able to read books above his grade level and was starting to understand some of its content. Percy then brought up his screen as he went through his main stats.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Level - 11</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Exp - 511 / 2160</b>
</p><p>
  <b>HP : 550 / 550 (+ 2000)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>MP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>STR : 14 (+ 2 + 20)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>(Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>VIT : 7 (+ 20)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>DEX : 7 (+2 + 20)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>INT : 14 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>WIS : 11 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Points : 10</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>He did not want to waste his points right now since these would be helpful later. For now, Percy decided that he needed to increase his DEX which would automatically increase his VIT considering how closely related they were. Percy planned on morning runs for them as well as sword fighting with Luke or alone followed by studying with the Athena cabin. This would surely help him a lot.</p><p>As he was walking, he failed to pay attention to his surroundings as he bumped into the same girl who had smeared at him from the ugly looking cabin which he remembered was that of Ares' children.</p><p>"Watch it punk", she called.</p><p>Percy used Observe on her.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Clarisse La Rue</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Title : Daughter of Ares</b>
</p><p>
  <b>HP : 1800 / 1800</b>
</p><p>
  <b>MP : 800 / 800</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Clarisse is a daughter of Ares who thinks Percy is a brat who had everything handed to him on a silver platter with no accomplishments to speak of. She doesn't think Percy deserves the credit and/or respect unless he proves himself.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>Since Percy had been silent and reading up on his screen, he nearly missed the punch aimed at his face. At the last moment, he was able to duck out of it as he glared at her.</p><p>"What's the matter? Is the little prince of the ocean annoyed that someone attacked him? Is he going to go complain to his daddy?", Clarisse mocked.</p><p>"What the Hades is your problem Clarisse?"</p><p>"Little brats like you who feel everyone is beneath them since his father is a big shot god and start taking everything for granted whilst hiding behind daddy."</p><p>"I have hardly had any interaction with anyone at camp save for a few people. Who are you to judge me on that?"</p><p>"Please, as if I need to talk to a scum like you."</p><p>"Why don't you come at me and find out?" Percy challenged her finally.</p><p>In response, Clarisse just drew her spear which she had been carrying as it cackled with electricity. Percy analysed her; she clearly had more experience than him and was physically more capable. He on the other hand, had the advantage of speed and being shorter compared to her. He decided to end this as soon as possible since he would be overwhelmed if he drawed this out. Percy then summoned a bottle of water and poured it over himself, relishing in the boost in his powers as he drew Riptide from its pen form.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>HP : 2550 / 2550</b>
</p><p>
  <b>MP : 2600 / 2600</b>
</p><p>
  <b>STR : 36 (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>VIT : 27</b>
</p><p>
  <b>DEX : 29</b>
</p><p>
  <b>INT : 14 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>WIS : 11 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>By now, quite a few campers had gathered around them; most of them were children of Ares. He spotted a familiar blonde in the crowd as she looked at him with worry. He quickly flashed her a little smile as he turned back to his opponent.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Ping!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Quest Alert!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Defeat Clarisse.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Rewards -</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Respect of Ares cabin</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Practice sessions with Ares cabin</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Failure -</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Bullied by entire Ares Cabin making life miserable at CHB</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Accept / Decline?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>Percy accepted the quest as he stood ready. Clarisse surged forward as she thrust her spear forward to impale him in the gut but Percy simply moved out of the way due to his enhanced stats. She withdrew her spear as she then charged at him with quick jabs multiple times. Percy was able to deflect a few with his sword while he tried avoiding as many as he could but a few of those managed to graze him. He needed to end this soon before he was left bleeding on the ground. Percy dodged a wild thrust which Clarisse had over extended and managed to get into her guard. Her spear was virtually useless now and he had the upper hand. He hit her arm holding the spear with all his strength with the hilt of his blade which forced her to loosen her grip which he immediately capitalised on by grabbing the spear from one hand and yanking it. Clarisse was shocked by this which led her to wasting a few precious seconds in which Percy threw the spear and brought the tip of his sword at her throat.</p><p>"I win."</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Ping!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Quest Completed!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Rewards added.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>You will now be able to practice combat and do other training with the Ares cabin.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>Percy dismissed the notification as he looked around. People were staring at him in shock and awe. Here he was, a newcomer who had been able to beat one of the best combatants in the Ares cabin and possibly the camp itself. Suddenly, people started howling and congratulating Percy on his victory. Percy looked at Clarisse who was smiling at him as she gave him a thumbs-up. No words were needed. Amongst the people cheering were some of Clarrise's siblings too. It seems that they had been impressed by Percy's display and he now had their approval. With that done, Percy now focused on his week ahead.</p><p>
  <em>~1 week later~</em>
</p><p>Percy huffed as he finished his training regimen for the day. It had been a week since he had had his duel with Clarisse. Since then, he had spent most of his day sparring and training with the Ares cabin and a few other cabins. He had managed to make quite a few friends during their interactions. The rest of the time was spent either in the Athena cabin or in his where he absorbed knowledge like a sponge. Needless to say, the Athenians were having a blast torturing him but it seemed as though they had started respecting him as well due to his attitude of never backing down from a challenge. Percy's main stats now read as :</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Level - 11</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Exp - 511 / 2160</b>
</p><p>
  <b>HP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>MP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>STR : 16 (+ 2 + 20)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>(Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>VIT : 10 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>DEX : 11 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>HP : 20 + 2 = 22 / min</b>
</p><p>
  <b>INT : 17 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>WIS : 13 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Points : 10</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Sword Fighting (Level 6)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>11% more damage with swords.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Modern English (Level 20)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Dyslexia cured, you can now read English properly without the dancing letters and understand college level books.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Swimming (Level 3 - 5 km/hr)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Running (Level 5 - 30 km/hr)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>He had clearly improved and he was happy. He was currently in the forest as he was walking towards his cabin. He passed the Fist of Zeus, which really didn't look like one, when he suddenly saw a similar clearing as he had at Yancy Academy. He tried using Observe and was surprised to see as yet another blue glowing delta sign appeared near it.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Ping!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>You have spotted another entrance to the Labyrinth!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Available -</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Dungeon (Level 8)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fast Travel -</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yancy Academy</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Camp Half Blood</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Do you wish to enter?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yes / No?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>Percy pressed no. He would come back the next day and deal with this as he skipped to his cabin happily. Here was another chance to gain some more loot and experience points if this dungeon was the same or similar as before.</p><p>The next day, Percy stood in front of the open staircase as he was filled with adrenaline. He had remembered to restock some water bottles and was carrying the bare essentials. Worst come to worst, he would summon the Death Knight or Alecto to help him during the fight. With that, Percy walked inside; ready for another fight.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span class="u">Percy's Stats</span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Perseus Jackson</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Species : Demigod </b>
  <b>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Title : Son of Poseidon</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in combat and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Level - 11</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Exp - 511 / 2160</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>HP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>MP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>STR : 16 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>VIT : 10 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>DEX : 11 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>INT : 17 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>WIS : 13 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Points : 10</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Money : $3360 / D0</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Status : Demigod</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Skills</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Combat :</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Sword Fighting (Level 6)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Inherited :</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Ancient Greek (Max)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Modern English (Level 20)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Swimming (Level 3 - 5 km/hr)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Breathe Underwater (Max)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Running (Level 5 - 30 km / hr)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Storms (Level 1)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>General :</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Observe (Level 4)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Sneaking (Level 2)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Critical Strike (Level 1)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Taunt (Level 1)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Mark of the Furies (Level 1)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Passive :</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Son of the Sea God (Gives +20 STR, VIT &amp; DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Abilities :</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Water Control (Level 11)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Water Spikes (Level 2)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Blood Control (Level 1)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Water Spear (Level 1)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>x.x</b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span class="u">
      <em>A/N</em>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>With that, we're done with this chapter. I know things are a bit slow at the moment since we still need Percy to settle into the camp and train. The next chapter would build on this and mark the beginning of the quest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <br/>
  </em>
  <em>I will follow most of the canon with some changes to accommodate Percy's new powers as of now but I will be diverging from it moving forward. It'll be a slow build up but definitely worth it.</em>
  <em>
    <br/>
  </em>
  <em>Do drop in a review and like!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <br/>
  </em>
  <em>Until next time.</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Preparations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Disclaimer : I do not own PJO or any of its characters.</em>
</p><p>
  <b>x.x</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 7: Preparations</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>~Dungeon Skip~</em>
</p><p>Percy had just about wrapped up the dungeon when he stepped into the final chamber. He looked around cautiously trying to figure out where the boss would be but he came up blank. All he could see was the glowing delta signaling its end. Percy just shrugged and pressed it. He had gotten quite a bit of loot and he was excited to see the notifications as he climbed up the stairs which had materlaised as per custom.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dungeon Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards added (surprise!)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armour skill book (tap more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dimension Create (tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy tapped the first item and read the new pane that opened up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 1 : 100 HP | Limit : 1 hour)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Envelop your body in a layer of pure magic to protect yourself from damage.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Do you want to learn this skill?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Yes / No?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy's jaw dropped. This would be extremely useful and help him not get killed every time even though it was at a low level, it had potential to become powerful enough to withstand heavy attacks later. Immediately he pressed 'yes.'</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skill learned, Mage Armor!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy felt the knowledge rush to his mind on how to do it and was shocked to find that it was actually a pretty easy process but difficult to execute if he had to say something about it. He decided to practice it later. He then turned his attention to the other reward and tapped the screen once again.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dimension Create</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Create an alternate version of your reality devoid of all life.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy blinked once. Then again to make sure what he was reading was right. This was a game changer. There were so many uses for it as his newfound intelligence picked up new ideas. He was so going to have fun with this. He then turned to the other notifications that he had ignored in the dungeon. In summary he got :</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skeletons killed - 20</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 30 x 40 = 1,200 + 511 = 1711 / 2160</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 30 x 10 = 300 + 3360 = 3660</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>D : 10</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 7)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>13% more damage with swords.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 2 : 310% damage)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Deal extra damage from hitting vital points of your enemies.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy had left all the other weapons in the dungeon opting not to pick them up since he already had an enchanted sword with him and a couple of other iron swords in his inventory. He really didn't see the point of lugging so much with him even though it didn't bother him but still.</p><p>It was evening by the time Percy was done. He had taken his time in killing those skeletons so he took a while. He still had a little time before dinner so he decided to test out the Mage Armor. He climbed to the top of Zeus' Fist and sat cross legged as he recalled the process which had been imprinted in his brain. It was simple enough in theory - he had to call upon his magical powers and instead of using them as fuel for hydrokinesis, he had to focus on bringing it out and coating his entire body with it, forming a sort of armour field around himself. Percy then got to work and sure enough, after a few tries, he was able to maintain the armor for a few minutes as it still needed his attention for now. He knew that once he got it down, he wouldn't have to bother with giving it his attention as it would be second nature for him. He watched his HP increase temporarily.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 600 + 100 = 700</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Soon enough, it was time for dinner and Percy had made quite a bit of improvements to his ability with the Mage Armor. He still needed to try and use Dimension Create which he would tomorrow. It was already late so it didn't make sense even though he was far too excited to try it. Maybe in his cabin post dinner?</p><p>As he walked into the dining pavilion, lots of campers greeted him, especially the Ares Cabin who had taken a liking to him due to his combat potential. They respected strength more than anything and Percy had lots and lots of it to spare. He grabbed his food and went to the campfire in the middle for his customary sacrifice. This time round, he went ahead and gave his first sacrifice to Hestia instead of his dad since she had done more for him than the latter did. As he sacrificed his food, the fire got a bit bigger as it touched Percy for the briefest moments, enveloping his body with warmth before it receded. Percy didn't recoil because he knew that his aunt was someone who was far from hurting anyone and she did say that she would keep an eye on him so it really wasn't a surprise.</p><p>Dinner was a quiet affair since he was the only son of Poseidon and as such, had to sit on his own table alone due to the rules. He finished his dinner quickly and proceeded to walk to the sing-along amphitheatre where he knew his favourite goddess would be tending to the hearth. As he reached her, he was surprised to find her as a 12 year old instead of the 9 year old figure he was used to. She seemed to be about his height as her brown hair cascaded down, almost reaching the middle of her back and her eyes glowed with flames dancing in them which was a beautiful sight in itself. He shook his head as he got rid of his straying thoughts and sat beside her.</p><p>"Thank you", she said with a smile as she continued poking the fire.</p><p>"For what?" Percy asked cheekily.</p><p>"For the first sacrifice before your father. It has been long since someone sacrificed to me but ever since you came, I have been receiving them daily. But today was far more special as you placed me before your father."</p><p>"I did what was right Hestia. You deserve far more than people give you credit for Hestia. This was nothing, I just hope I can do something for you someday just the way you've been there for me all this time", Percy replied sincerely. She deserved so much more, he could not bear to see her ignored like this. He would make it upto her someday for sure.</p><p>A small tear escaped Hestia's eye as she wiped it quickly. Ever since Percy had come to the camp and had approached her, she had started looking forward to their evening conversations since it was a fresh experience to talk normally instead of all the reverence that came at Olympus. Moreover, she enjoyed his company as he was among the few people who had been able to see her which meant that he had treasured family which she too did. They both had a lot in common the more she thought about it which led to her changing her form to that of a twelve year old in order to match him and make him feel comfortable as though he was speaking to a friend. She did see him as a friend now more than her nephew since their talks were devoid of all formality or resistance on either part.</p><p>They sat in a blissful silence then until it was time for Hestia to go. She bid him farewell as she disappeared once again. The rest of the evening was spent with the other campers as they sang along together while roasting marshmallows over the fire. By the time they were done, Percy had all but forgotten about the Dimension Create since he was too tired from the day as he had overexerted himself thoroughly.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You have slept in your own bed, HP and MP restored!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy swiped the notification away as he got out of bed and quickly dressed as he ran for the woods. He was excited to try Dimension Create and didn't stop anywhere. Soon, he reached Zeus' Fist where he usually trained on his own. If this was going to help him focus on his training, he was going to become stronger sooner since he could focus without any interruptions whatsoever.</p><p>"Dimension Create", Percy muttered.</p><p>Suddenly, all the sound in the forest disappeared. Everything in sight was exactly the same except for the sky itself which had turned into a beautiful pink-purplish hue (I am horrible with colors, it's simple purple or pink for me, I cannot for the life of me identify any shades like sky blue etc. so forgive me if I don't know the names). Percy stared at the sky and couldn't help but be enthralled by its beauty. Percy then decided to run to camp and see whether he was actually alone. His theory proved to be correct when all he could see was a desolate camp - everything was in place as it had been when he had created the dimension save for its occupants. He then headed to the training arena and slashed a dummy. He then quickly dismissed the dimension as he returned to his own reality where he found himself in front of the dummy he had slashed except it had no signs of it being attacked on. This meant that whatever happened in the alternate dimension wouldn't happen here which was just what he needed to find out since he did not want to accidentally cause a widespread panic in the camp. Just as he returned to the alternate dimension, the dummy remained in pristine condition which Percy realised was reset. Percy smirked, this was going to be a breeze. He just needed to come up with a good training regimen and he was golden.</p><p>He returned to his reality and began to plan out the next two weeks. He pulled up his main stats first as he looked at them.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 16 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 10 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 11 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 17 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 13 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 10</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>He was somewhat level across all his stats save for LUC. He had no idea how to increase that perhaps he could use the points at a later date in case he was in a dire situation?</p><p>He needed to increase all his base levels. An increase in STR and DEX would increase his VIT as well so he could settle for physical exercises like swimming, sword fighting, running etc. to increase those. INT and WIS could be increased by spending time studying with the children of Athena. He was now half as smart as the lowest of the rung if there was something like that in a cabin filled with geniuses. Annabeth was still leagues ahead of him and he was determined to become as smart as her so that she could also have some support outside her siblings in case things ever went awry. He then pulled up his abilities and skills. He needed to work on those as well. His water control was pitiful for a son of Poseidon to say the least.</p><p>
  <strong>,,,</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skills</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 7)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 20)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 3 - 5 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 5 - 30 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Control over Storms (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Taunt (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 11)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Blood Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Out of the present abilities, he needed to work on a select few. He dismissed the ones he didn't need so his list now read as :</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skills</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 7)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Control over Storms (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 11)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Since Percy did not really want to practice on someone else for Blood Control, he decided to drop it. Some of the abilities would level up on their own due to his repeated actions so he didn't have to make any conscious effort in training them like swimming. With a firm plan now set, he decided to start working on it.</p><p>
  <em>~Timeskip : 5 days~</em>
</p><p>"No no no Percy, this is not the correct way to do it", Annabeth exclaimed. She had spent the last few hours studying with him and was currently helping him out with a few mathematical problems. Despite being in grade six, his level was that of a child in grade two; three at best.</p><p>"Why can't I simply do it my way instead of going through a set method?", Percy whined. He was really annoyed by the immense steps needed to solve a problem. If only he had a time machine he sighed. Percy then caught Annabeth's eye and squirmed under her glare which promised suffering if he didn't do as told. Resigning himself to his fate, he continued with his studies.</p><p>"Annabeth, can we please take a break?" Percy whined yet again after a few minutes.</p><p>"No".</p><p>"Please?"</p><p>"Absolutely not."</p><p>"But we have been studying since the past four hours without any breaks."</p><p>"So?"</p><p>Desperate times call for desperate measures Percy thought as he fixed her with her signature baby face which he had mastered. It never worked on his mom, she seemed to have developed a resistance to it much to his annoyance. Speaking of which, he still missed her dearly and had no signs of her whatsoever. There was never a day when he didn't think about her. He was considering going to the Underworld and just stealing her soul back at this point of time. Before his emotions could run amok, <strong>Gamer's MInd</strong> activated and calmed him instantly.</p><p>Annabeth on her part made the mistake of looking at Percy's face as she lifted her head from the book she was reading. Her face immediately turned red as she blushed hard. Percy with his beautiful sea-green eyes looked like an extremely cute baby seal who she wanted to just run up to, hug tightly, pet and never let go. She resisted the urge to do just that as she tried to look away but miserably failed. If someone were to ask her about her blushing in the presence of the son of Poseidon, she would vehemently reject such an instance ever happening and the person would be the subject of a beating from her.</p><p>Percy on the other hand was confused as to why Annabeth's face suddenly turned red like a tomato as she stared at him.</p><p>"Is there something on my face?", he asked as he tilted his face a little in confusion.</p><p>Annabeth just squealed loudly inside her head uncharacteristically at how cute he was.</p><p>"N-N-Nothing. Fine, we can take a break, I need some fresh air anyway", she finally said as she all but ran out of her cabin where they had been studying with some of her siblings doing their own work. Percy smiled as he finally got his break.</p><p>
  <em>~Timeskip : 9 days~</em>
</p><p>Percy ducked under an arrow as it whizzed past his head as he charged at Alecto who was flying in the alternate dimension. After their initial shock of learning his new ability, Alecto and the Death Knight had started spending more time with him. He had taken to training with both of them, often sparring with them or learning new things from their millenia of experience.</p><p>Alecto was out of Percy's reach as he tried to think of a way to reach her. He quickly summoned water and used it to splash it over her as she lost her momentum due to the unexpected attack and fell down. He quickly brought his blade near her throat, "I win". Alecto acknowledged it as he dismissed the blade and sat down near her.</p><p>"Do you have any idea what happened to my mom?", Percy asked suddenly. He hadn't spoken about this with anyone since it was still a sore subject for him.</p><p>"What happened to her?", Alecto asked. Right, he had never told her about that night. He quickly described that fateful night to her and waited for her take.</p><p>"A golden light you say?", Alecto asked. She was familiar with it but she needed the confirmation and was hoping it was not who she thought it was because it would make things extremely difficult.</p><p>"Yes".</p><p>"I can hazard a guess as to what may have happened to Sally but you have to promise me you won't react at once and do something stupid."</p><p>"I promise".</p><p>"Swear it on the Styx".</p><p>Percy gulped. He knew about oaths made on the river and if Alecto had asked him to do it, it must truly be something serious. Seeing her expression, he knew he wouldn't get any information until he did as he was told.</p><p>"I swear on the Styx", Percy said reluctantly as thunder boomed loudly in the backdrop. Percy winced at that.</p><p>"The events pertain to one person who is capable of unleashing monsters from the Underworld and who holds a grudge against his brother. As far as the facts say, this is the work of the Lord of the Underworld, my former master."</p><p>"Hades?!", Percy hissed.</p><p>"Quiet boy. Names are powerful, why do you think I didn't say it?"</p><p>Percy wisely kept shut as he let her talk.</p><p>"He holds a grudge against his brothers and would stop at nothing to get rid of their children. Moreover, I think he has done it to get something that rumours say you possess. It was why I was assigned to watch you in the first place."</p><p>"What are you talking about? Have what?" Percy was visibly confused now as he tried to keep his emotions in check as much as he could. It seemed <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> too was working overtime as it calmed him before he could react.</p><p>"The Lightning Bolt of the lord of the Skies"</p><p>"Lightning Bolt?", Percy asked as a particular image flashed through his mind.</p><p>Alecto glared at him.</p><p>"Do not take it lightly. It is not a tinfoil-covered zigzag mortals use in plays. It's a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."</p><p>"But why on earth would I have it?" Percy cried indignantly, "I haven't even seen Olympus or know its location, how can I just go there and steal his main weapon?"</p><p>"That I do not know why he suspects you or the others as a matter of fact but I do believe you when you say you don't have it. All you can do is train and become stronger."</p><p>"I want to get my mother from the Underworld", Percy said with determination, "I will go there no matter what."</p><p>"As you are now, you are nothing but a speck of dirt. Train, get stronger until you're at least able to survive being in the Underworld itself. I will guide you through it myself."</p><p>"Why are you helping me?"</p><p>"Initially, I had nothing but resentment towards you but after spending time with you and the iron idiot, I saw how you are as a person and I'm also bound to you. So I might as well help you out as much as I can", Alecto shrugged.</p><p>With newfound determination, Percy started his training once again. Never again would he let a loved one be taken from him. He won't stand it. Not one bit.</p><p>Finally at the end of the training regimen, Percy looked at his stats.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 650 / 650</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 20 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 14 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 14 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 20 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 15 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skills</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 8)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 22)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 5 - 7 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 6 - 32 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 13)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>He had grown quite a bit in the last two weeks; exerting himself to inhumane levels. He had also fully utilized the Dimension Create, sparring with Alecto and the Death Knight lots of times and trying out new moves and improving himself in general. He had heard from Annabeth that there was an oracle in the top floor of the big house where prophecies were issued if there was a quest. He knew that he had no basis to approach Chiron and tell him that his mother was supposedly held in the Underworld by its ruling god without revealing anything. So he would make up some excuse to get out of the situation when it called for it.</p><p>Percy headed inside and climbed the four flights as the stairs ended under a green trapdoor. Percy pulled the cord as the door swung down, and a wooden ladder clattered into place. The warm air from above smelled like mildew and rotten wood and something else he remembered from biology class. Reptiles. The smell of snakes. He held his breath as he climbed.</p><p>The attic was filled with Greek hero junk : armor stands covered in cobwebs; once bright shields pitted with rust; old leather steamer trunks plastered with stickers saying <em>Ithaka, Circe's Isle and Land of the Amazons.</em> One long table was stacked with glass jars filled with pickled things - severed hairy claws, huge yellow eyes, various other parts of monsters, A dusty mounted trophy on the wall looked like a giant snake's head, but with horns and a full set of shark's teeth. The plague read : <em>Hydra Head No. I, Woodstock, NY, 1969.</em></p><p>By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all : a mummy. Not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shrivelled to a husk. She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair. The skin of her face was thin and leathery over her skull, and her eyes were glassy white slits, as if the real eyes had been replaced by marbles; she'd been dead a long, long time.</p><p>Looking at her sent chills up Percy's back. And that was before she sat up on her stool and opened her mouth. A green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes. Inside his head, he heard a voice, slithering into one ear and coiling around his brain : <em>I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask.</em></p><p>The mummy wasn't alive. She was some kind of gruesome receptacle for something else, the power that was swirling around him in the green mist. But its presence didn't feel evil, like Alecto or the Minotaur. It felt ancient, powerful and definitely not human.</p><p>Percy asked, "What is my destiny?"</p><p>The mist swirled more thickly, collecting right in front of him and around the table with the pickled monster-part jars. Suddenly, there were four men sitting around the table, playing cards. Their faces became clearer. It was Gabe and his poker buddies.</p><p>Gabe turned towards him and spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle : <em>You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.</em></p><p>His buddy on the right looked up and said in the same voice : <em>You shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned.</em></p><p>The guy on the left then said : <em>You shall be betrayed by the one who calls you a friend.</em></p><p>Finally, the last and the worst line was delivered : <em>And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end</em>.</p><p>The figures then dissolved as the mist retreated, coiling into a huge green serpent and slithering back into the mouth of the mummy. The tale of the mist snake disappeared into the mummy's mouth as she reclined back against the wall. Her mouth closed tight, as if it hadn't been open in a hundred years. The attic was silent again, abandoned, nothing but a room full of mementos.</p><p>Percy finally walked out of the house as his head felt dizzy from the experience. He was so not prepared for it. Just then, Chiron materialised in front of him seemingly out of nowhere as he looked at Percy with concern.</p><p>"Percy, were you with the Oracle?"</p><p>"Yes, I was curious about the top floor so I went and explored it but the moment I came face to face with the Oracle, the door shut, smoke started to pour and a prophecy was issued to me. I don't know why I was given it but it must be related to my mother because that was the only thought going in my head since the past few days and even right now."</p><p>Chiron looked at Percy until he just nodded at him.</p><p>"Very well, we will discuss this later at a meeting but for now, keep this a secret. We do not want someone else to know about this or worry the campers," with that Chiron left Percy to his own devices.</p><p>It was still after lunch so Percy decided to walk around the camp for a while until he came face to face with a familiar brunette with her blazing eyes staring into his.</p><p>"What do you think you were doing Perseus Jackson?", Hestia all but demanded. He had never heard her use his full name and usually whenever someone did, it meant that he was in trouble. Big time. Percy knew full well not to play dumb since she had been nothing short of supportive and open with him and he needed to return that too. It was what friends did - always be honest with each other.</p><p>"I knew my mother was being held in the Underworld and I wanted to go there in order to rescue her but I needed a valid reason for it. The only way I could do was through a quest issued by the Oracle. I - I can't leave her alone like that. I have to go and save her", Percy all but cried as he was finally breaking down from all the time he suppressed his emotions or <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> kept him in check. It seemed that the ability didn't activate this time as though reading his thoughts in this matter and let Percy finally break the dam.</p><p>Hestia for her part did something that almost broke Percy from his stupor. Almost. She hugged him. Hestia couldn't bear the sight of Percy breaking down like this with no one but her acting as his support ever since he entered this new world with no one stopping for him or asking after him. He simply cried on her shoulder for a while until his crying died down to sniffles as he finally let out everything. Percy moved to indicate that he was okay but Hestia just tightened her hug.</p><p>"I am here for you Percy, I always will be", she whispered into his ear, "I - I know it is all of a sudden but I want to ask you a question."</p><p>Realising that Hestia was nervous for some reason Percy hugged her too indicating that it was okay. She separated from him as she looked at him with a nervous sight but steeled herself before she continued.</p><p>"I have never once had a champion because no one has been able to understand truly what family means and what the hearth represents until now. You are someone who embodies the very nature of the goddess I am of and I can feel it in my domains that you are the only one to have ever come to the level where no one ever could. So Percy, will you do me the honour of becoming my Champion?"</p><p>Percy for his part was confused. What was a champion in the first place?</p><p>Seeing his confused face, Hestia explained, "We gods offer people to become our champions who embody our domains or we feel is worthy to represent us. A champion once blessed gains some powers of his/her patron god"</p><p>"Are you sure about this Hestia? I do not feel that I am worthy enough for such a huge honour", he replied.</p><p>"Yes, I am. You being humble and doubting yourself are clear signs that you're down to earth and won't use my powers for something wrong. I have watched you and spent time with you for a while now and I can safely say, I am more than happy with my choice."</p><p>"Then I accept to be your champion, Lady Hestia."</p><p>Hearing those words, Hestia was filled with excitement and happiness to finally have her first champion after millenia. She had always wanted one but could never find someone but now, she relished in this feeling as she brought Percy to another tight hug and was delighted when he hugged her back with equal fervour.</p><p>Just as Percy hugged her back, Hestia suddenly glowed a warm orange as he too started to glow in a sea-green light. He felt warmth emit from Hestia as he felt a surge in power. He felt something inside him light. Just as he was about to let go, Hestia hugged him tighter as he suddenly gasped in pain. He felt something searing on his skin on his right arm until the pain died down. She then let go of him and gave him a once over.</p><p>Suddenly, Hestia gasped as she felt her cheeks heat up. It was nothing of the sort she felt when she summoned fire so she was visibly confused. However, she put that thought aside as she looked at Percy's face and arm. His usual sea-green eyes were now alight with a sea-green flame just like her eyes as they danced with excitement and warmth. They looked so beautiful that Hestia could not help but be mesmerized with those flames. She wrenched her gaze from his eyes to his arm where she could see the distinct underline of the brand / tattoo under his T-shirt that indicated to the world that he was her champion.</p><p>"Hestia, are you okay? Your cheeks are red", Percy's voice rang out in concern. He still had no idea but it was just like what happened with Annabeth when he was studying with her all those days back.</p><p>Hestia simply summoned a mirror and handed it to him. He looked at his reflection, nothing seemed different. His hair was still a mess, his mouth and nose were the same so were his flaming eyes. Wait. Flaming eyes? Percy blinked as he got the mirror closer expecting the mirror's image to change but it was adamant.</p><p>"My eyes are on fire!", Percy yelped as the fact finally registered in his brain and he nearly dropped the mirror in his shock. He looked at it again and sure enough they were still there blazing happily. Percy had to admit they looked good. He then remembered the burning sensation on his right arm and pulled his sleeve to reveal what was underneath. It was an intricate tattoo which depicted a donkey as well as a fire along with ancient Greek written all around in lines which formed part of its design. Percy could only gaze it at in wonder and admiration. Hestia on her part watched him with amusement as he proceeded to look at her like an over excited child who just got new clothes.</p><p>He then looked at her with his breathtaking eyes with the largest smile he could muster.</p><p>"Thank you thank you thank you," he exclaimed as he hugged her yet again. He had been ignoring the notifications which kept popping up for a while now.</p><p>She then pulled back and said, "Percy, try summoning fire".</p><p>Percy obeyed her as he closed his eyes and felt for the familiar sensation of the chords connecting inside him as he imagined his hand bursting into flames and sure enough he felt a burning sensation in his hands. He opened his eyes and was greeted to the sight of orange flames flickering in his hand as it danced in mirth, waiting to be used for the first time by its master. He couldn't help but stare at it in wonder. Hestia, on the other hand, was beaming seeing how quickly he was able to adapt to his new powers however, controlling and manipulating fire was another issue altogether. Percy let the fire extinguish as he was starting to sweat from the strain it took him to summon and maintain one.</p><p>"You will require lots of practice in order to master fire since it is the exact opposite of water", Hestia explained, "however, if you ever need help or some tricks, you know I'm always watching. As for your eyes, just imagine them to be normal and they will return to their former look and vice versa."</p><p>With that done, Hestia gave him a final hug as she disappeared in a burst of flames.</p><p>He then opened his notifications which were running wild and started swiping through them, reading the most important ones.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You have received the blessings of Hestia due to being her champion!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Following are now available -</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Summon Meals (tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control (tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy tapped the first option.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Summon Meals </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Using the power of Home and Hearth, summon food and drinks.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy whistled. This was certainly helpful and now, he didn't have to store food since he could summon it as and when he wished. He then tapped the second option.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 1 - Cost 100 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The blessings of Hestia grants you control over fire.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Just then Chiron came galloping towards him.</p><p>"Come Percy, let's talk with Mr. D before you can leave for the quest since technically he is the head of the camp even though he doesn't care about most of them, he somehow asked for you."</p><p>Percy followed Chiron to the front porch of the Big House where Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiin shirt with his Diet Coke.</p><p>"Sit Percy", surprisingly it was Dionysus who said that.</p><p>"I understand you have been issued a quest and from what Chiron told me, it is something to do with saving your mother. Correct?"</p><p>Percy nodded.</p><p>""Are you sure about it?"</p><p>Again, Percy nodded with a determined look.</p><p>"Then I will let Chiron handle the rest. I have an emergency meeting at Olympus." with that Dionysus rose. He then snapped his fingers. The air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became a holograph, then a wind, then he was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind.</p><p>Chiron then smiled at Percy as he asked him the million-dollar question, "Do you know what is going on?"</p><p>Percy nodded, "I know that something important has been stolen from either Zeus or Poseidon since the weather has not been normal since the winters. It seems as though the sky and the sea itself are fighting each other." Percy didn't want to divulge the main reason as to how he knew but he wouldn't let Chiron in on that. No way.</p><p>"Even the Oracle has deemed it important enough to issue a quest which comes directly from glances at the possible future which the Fates themselves weave at the behest of their mother. We cannot ignore this.</p><p>Moreover, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise : a lightning bolt."</p><p>Percy just tilted his head for further explanation. He just knew the basics from Alecto, nothing else.</p><p>"Zeus' master bolt, the symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."</p><p>"And it's stolen?"</p><p>"Yes"</p><p>"By who?"</p><p>"By you. At least that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual banter. Afterwards, Zeus realised his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly - that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it. Moreover, Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays which is the current location of Mount Olympus right above the Empire State Building. You could have easily snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief. Of course, Poseidon denied stealing the master bolt. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you've come along - the proverbial last straw."</p><p>"But I didn't do anything. My dad, he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?"</p><p>"Most thinking observers would agree that thievery isn't Poseidon's style. But the sea god is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, almost a month from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I had hoped diplomacy might prevail but your arrival has inflamed Zeus' temper. Now, neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war."</p><p>"Right."</p><p>"What was the prophecy?"</p><p>Percy then told him exactly what the Oracle had said but held back about a friend betraying him as he had an inkling as to whom it may be but did not act on it until he had sufficient proof. Chiron on his part, knew that Percy was holding back something so he moved to placate Percy's fears.</p><p>"Percy, don't dwell too much on them. The words of a prophecy often have more meanings to them than one and it is not a definite future that will happen but one of the most likely scenarios. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."</p><p>That seemed to help as Percy visibly relaxed. Even though it was a possibility, he was banking on the odds of it not coming to pass. Then Percy remembered something important he needed to ask.</p><p>"Who's this god in the west?"</p><p>"Think Percy. If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"</p><p>Percy with his newfound intelligence quickly deduced that only one individual has that kind of power - "Hades".</p><p>"The Minotaur can only be summoned by someone who has control over the Underworld. It may not be a stretch to assume that he would have been behind the abdication of your mother."</p><p>At that Percy's eyes widened. How did he know? He knew he had not shared it with Chiron until he saw Grover walk up to them. That's when it clicked. Grover had not been knocked out and would've seen what had transpired.</p><p>"There may be more to this than we know" , Chiron continued, "he may have a play in this by taking the Lightning Bolt from you and holding it over his brothers as they weaken each other. I cannot speak about Hades' plans so the only option left is to do as the Oracle prophesied. As much as I hate this and would be reluctant to let you go, there's far more at stake than one can imagine."</p><p>However, after listening to Chiron's reasoning about his mother, he was now convinced he needed to go to the Underworld, not for the stupid over-powered toy of a god but for his mother. The world be damned. If he had to choose between either of them, he knew what choice he would take in a heartbeat.</p><p>Grover had just heard the last bits of the conversation but was able to comprehend that a quest had been issued and Percy was supposed to go to the Underworld in search of possibly one of the most powerful weapons in existence. To say he was scared shitless would be an understatement. Percy too was trying to wrap his head around something else it seemed judging from the blank look he now had.</p><p>"If we know it is some kind of play from Hades, why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down and take care of it. Why involve me?" he finally asked.</p><p>"Even if some gods suspect Hades, they cannot do anything about it. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans? It's not an accident that Poseidon claimed you as soon as you arrived at camp in front of everyone to see. It is a big gamble but he's in a desperate situation and he needs you."</p><p>"Right. So let me get this straight. First, I have to go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead who may also be holding my mother prisoner as leverage for the Lightning Bolt since I am accused of stealing it. Second, I need to find one of the most powerful weapons to exist and get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice in about a month and finally, I do not have to die doing any of these since the fate of the world rests on me finding a powerful firecracker to return to its rightful owner to avoid what may amount to a total eradication of humanity if a war waged between possibly the two most powerful figures in the age of the gods. Perfect, just another walk in the park"</p><p>Chiron sweat dropped at that. The boy sure had a mouth on him and was far too laid back to even care about a god's symbol of power opting to call it names no one would ever dare to.</p><p>"I will go with you Perce", Grover suddenly said bravely though his body betrayed his words.</p><p>"You don't have to go with me G-man, I can do it alone."</p><p>Grover took a deep breath, then said, "You saved my life, Percy. Besides, I am your protector and your best friend, I cannot just leave you to go on this dangerous quest alone."</p><p>Percy felt relieved that he had someone. Inwardly, he was trying not to panic since he had no idea what he would encounter. Even his new powers would barely hold up against a god in his own domain. He was glad for the backup.</p><p>"Do you know the location of the Underworld?" Percy asked Chiron.</p><p>"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west and moves just like Olymous. Right now, it is in Los Angeles.</p><p>"For a quest, you have to choose three members to go with you and luckily for you, someone knew what exactly you were up to when you visited the Oracle and since then, has volunteered to go with you", Chiron said.</p><p>Percy looked at him incredulously. Who in their right mind would want to go on a deadly quest like this?</p><p>His question was answered as the air shimmered behind Chiron and Annabeth became visible as she stuffed a Yankees cap into her back pocket.</p><p>"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, Seaweed Brain," she said. "While Athena and Poseidon may not get along, we need to since we have to save the world and who better to help than the daughter of wisdom and strategy herself?"</p><p>Percy couldn't argue with that logic. There were no cons that he could see and it would be extremely helpful with Annabeth with them.</p><p>"I hope you have a plan Wise Girl", he said as he watched her cheeks color yet again.</p><p>"What do you think of me? Do I look like an idiot who would just barge into the entrance of the Underworld and demand to see its ruler?"</p><p>In truth, Percy was actually thinking of doing just that. If she had a better plan which led them to stay alive, he was game.</p><p>"Excellent", Chiron said. "I can give you 10 days at most to train Percy since we need you alive and kicking. I know you have been training lately but use the rest of the time wisely. It may use up our time but we have no other option, if we send you now, you will be walking into certain death."</p><p>Percy agreed with the plan. He needed all the training he could get especially with his new powers as Hestia's champion if he needed to have a chance at saving his mother.</p><p>'I will come for you mom. I will have you back,' Percy vowed in his mind as he got ready for a gruelling ten days of continuous training of the mind and body.</p><p>
  <b>x.x</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Percy's Stats</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in combat and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes. He is also Hestia's champion which grants him control over fire and lets him summon meals and drinks.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 11</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp - 1711 / 2160</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 650 / 650 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 20 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 14 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 14 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 20 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 15 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 10</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $3660 / D0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Skills</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 8)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 22)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 5 - 7 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 6 - 32 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Taunt (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Summon Meals (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God </strong>
  <strong>(Gives +20 STR, VIT &amp; DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 13)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Blood Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dimension Create (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>x.x</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>A/N</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>I know the last part of the conversation is from the book but what better way to describe the situation than from the one who wrote it in the first place? Percy is rather still unaware of what exactly transpired and Alecto too wouldn't know everything. So yeah.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yes, Percy has received Hestia's blessings earlier than anything and it might be OOC however, I am using this for a specific purpose which you'll find out later once Percy progresses through the quest. This one is different and I really hope it works out as well as I think it should!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With that, please do drop a review to help improve the fic. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Until next time.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Ice and Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Disclaimer : I do not own PJO or any of its characters.</em>
</p><p>
  <b>x.x</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 8: Ice and Fire</strong>
</p><p>Post talking to Chiron, Percy decided to go to sleep. He would have a gruelling routine ahead and he needed to utilise it fully. He had also figured out that he needed sleep every five days if he was operating with his general routine and not over-exerting himself however, if he upped his training, he would need to sleep every three days in order to regain his strength from the much-needed rest. With that in mind, just as he was about to head to bed, a notification popped up on its own accord.</p><p>
  <strong>Go to Zeus' Fist.</strong>
</p><p>This was the first time this had happened and Percy was apprehensive. However, his curiosity won out as he walked out of his cabin and into the woods, heading towards Zeus' Fist. Once he reached it, he saw three old ladies sitting at its base. If he was in any other place, he wouldn't have really questioned it however, this was no ordinary place and what the three ladies were doing was not ordinary either. One spun a thread while another worked a loom and the last one cut the thread in different sizes. Intrigued and skeptical at the same time, Percy used <strong>Observe</strong>.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The Three Fates</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>*^*(!* )_&amp; %#%^$ (!? !*!?"::":{}~(* ~</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>After reading it, Percy was shocked to the core. He could not believe his eyes as to what he was reading and despite blinking repeatedly, the box was still there. Just before he could react further, one of the ladies waved a hand and suddenly <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> kicked in out of nowhere and stabilized him. Percy's face was replaced from surprise to slight fear as these were entities not even the system could tell him anything about which meant it was beyond him for all intents and purposes. He would've never thought this was possible and yet, here they were. Again, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> kicked in and got him level. He recognised who was who based on what they were doing. Percy then steeled himself as he smiled at them.</p><p>"Lady Clotho, Lady Lachesis and Lady Atropos", Percy said as he bowed his head slightly in respect at each of the three Moirai - the incarnations of Destiny.</p><p>"Respectful yet sarcastic. You truly are unpredictable Perseus", Clotho said as she scrutinised the boy in front of him.</p><p>"Thanks?", Percy said though it came out more as a question. He was hardly expecting this.</p><p>"Bold as well. Not many in their right mind would approach us, most turn tail and run for the hills the moment they realise who we are", Atropos said as she cut another thread.</p><p>"I am not everybody and please call me Percy. Perseus sounds too formal", Percy said. He was never one for formalities, he preferred simplicity more than anything.</p><p>"So how is your progress going from the powers we gave you Percy?", this time Lachesis said as she waved a hand and his stats screen popped open and turned towards the Fates.</p><p>Percy gaped. "You gave me these powers?! Why?"</p><p>"You don't need to know about it yet", Clotho replied with a hint of finality in her tone which Percy managed to pick out. He did not want to antagonize them. He was not particularly fond of the supernatural world at the moment but he too had enough sense now not to pick a fight with someone who could kill him as easily as one would kill an ant.</p><p>"So how can I help you? Surely, you're not here on a social visit to see me", Percy replied.</p><p>"You are getting smarter", Lachesis said as she inspected his stats screen. "You have been working hard it seems and you have already managed to get a power boost with the blessings of Hestia. I never imagined you'd be her first champion, something no one has managed to do in millennia. Make sure you train in these powers, I suspect these may come in use for what is to come", she hinted. "Unfortunately we cannot say more for there are lots of possible futures out there and all we can do is try and guide you to the best one there is but the choices are yours to make. Now, coming back to the question, what makes you think that you can help us?"</p><p>"Why did you give me these powers in the first place if not to help you?" Percy answered the question with a question cheekily.</p><p>"Smart", Clotho replied as she matched his grin with her own. This was turning out to be quite a fresh conversation for the three sisters and they were starting to enjoy it. Most would drop on their knees or treat them with reverence which was good but after a while became stifling. "Are you aware of the first Titanomachy?"</p><p>"I know that the gods waged war against the Titans with Zeus leading them after he freed his siblings from Kronos when he ate them. Just the basic stuff."</p><p>"Good enough but we need you to know everything there is to know about it", Lachesis replied as she snapped her finger and a seemingly old book appeared out of thin air written in Ancient Greek. "This is a first-hand account of what exactly transpired. Make sure to brush up on your knowledge".</p><p>"But why do you need me to do it?"</p><p>"A prophecy was issued. Kronos rises again. War is going to come soon and you must be ready", Atropos said.</p><p>"Okay why must I be ready? And why are you telling me this? Why don't you go to the gods?", Percy was absolutely confused. Why should he be part of a war and why did it involve him in the first place?</p><p>"The reason will be revealed to you once you're back from the quest. Heed our words for now and believe in them. That's all we can say for now. As for informing the gods, they have grown complacent and arrogant. They won't believe that Kronos rises again until it's too late and nothing can be done. He will look to use the god's weapons against them along with other measures."</p><p>"You mean their symbols of power or something?"</p><p>"No, think Percy. Who has access to every place in the Greek world, can go without any restrictions whatsoever and challenge anyone?", Clotho supplied.</p><p>"Demigods", Percy realised as his eyes widened to the size of saucers.</p><p>"Correct. He plans on using those who feel abandoned by their parents or unclaimed even after so long to wage war on Olympus."</p><p>The more Percy thought about it, the more sense it made. There were lots of unclaimed campers in the Hermes cabin. He himself had been frustrated when he didn't know who his father was and no one told him. He could relate to the feeling. He vowed to help them with his powers maybe just maybe, this would change things a little bit.</p><p>As if reading his thoughts, Lachesis said, "You can use them but make sure no one discovers your powers."</p><p>Percy nodded his head gratefully. He would feel horrible if he couldn't help them even though he had the powers for it.</p><p>"We must leave; we have been shrouding this location for a while and it seems Hestia is worried as she couldn't sense you through your link. Moreover, we know that both Poseidon and Hestia can now sense the change in your powers and as such, know something is amiss. So, we grant you liberty to disclose this information to both of them and an extremely small group of people who you would trust in order to keep your relations secure without needing to lie about things. Don't forget to make them swear on the Styx though. Finally, remember Percy, your actions have a far bigger impact than you can comprehend so make sure you think about it before doing something reckless. All the best, young hero, don't disappoint us."</p><p>With that, the three vanished with no display that usually accompanied when a god teleported. The Fates simply blinked out of existence. One moment they were there, the next they were gone as though they had never been here. Percy realised that the forest had been awfully quiet during their conversation since the usual noises started making their way towards his ears.</p><p>Just as Percy was about to walk back to the cabin, Hestia appeared in front of him suddenly still in her twelve-year form.</p><p>"Hestia", Percy said with a warm smile. However, she didn't seem to mirror his emotion if her blazing eyes were anything to go by.</p><p>"Perseus Jackson, where were you? I could sense you for a while but then you suddenly disappeared without any traces and regardless of how much I tried, I could not find you."</p><p>"I was right here", Percy replied innocently.</p><p>"My first champion, it hasn't even been a day and he disappears! No matter how much I searched, I cannot sense him or find him. Do you know how worried I was?"</p><p>"I understand but I won't leave just like this Hestia", Percy said as he gave her a smile.</p><p>"Don't do that ever again Perseus Jackson. As your patron god, this is an order"</p><p>"Of course my lady", Percy said as he mock bowed.</p><p>"Idiot", Hestia said uncharacteristically. "Also, what happened to your powers? I sense there's something different about it. There seems to be more than just water and fire from what I can tell. I only noticed this after you became my champion. Is everything alright?"</p><p>"About that, there's something that I needed to tell you which is actually related to what happened right now", Percy said nervously as he looked around. Sensing his trouble, Hestia gently cupped his face and turned it towards her whilst radiating warmth to make him at ease which worked.</p><p>"I don't know how to say this exactly but I just met Moirai right now", Percy started.</p><p>Hestia gasped. That was not good, not good at all. However, Percy continued before she could say anything.</p><p>"The difference you feel in my power is because they blessed me."</p><p>"WHAT?!", Hestia all but screamed. Percy winced. This wasn't going well.</p><p>"Apparently, I am important for some prophecy which is going to come soon which would result in a war. They wanted me to be better prepared hence, they granted me some powers", he explained.</p><p>Hestia knew what prophecy he was mentioning. She was there after all when it all happened. Thankfully, he did not know about it and she did not want him to worry about it. However, if the Fates themselves had intervened, it had to be serious and much bigger than she initially thought. Right now, she could not even inform her younger brothers about it since the family was already in a state of war with Zeus' lightning bolt stolen and her champion blamed for it. She decided to keep it to herself for the moment and only reveal information once things had relatively settled; if they found the damned thing in the first place.</p><p>"I hope you do know that not everything comes from free and there's a catch. I'm sure they have their own agenda", Hestia said finally.</p><p>"I know but what else can I do? If it is as important as they say, I will be needing it."</p><p>Hestia relented. He had a point plus if the extra power insured his survival, she wouldn't have any qualms whatsoever about it so she decided to go with it.</p><p>"What powers did they grant you if you don't mind me asking?"</p><p>"I know it is pointless to ask you but I promised the Fates. Can you swear on the Styx not to reveal this to anyone?"</p><p>Hestia did as he asked with the familiar thunderclap in the background.</p><p>"So are you aware of the gaming system which is found in well, games?"</p><p>"No"</p><p>"So basically in video games, the main character usually has a lot of power and abilities. The player can check his/her HP/MP, stats, unlock new abilities etc. That's what I have. I don't require much sleep now unless I am exhausted, unlock new abilities and skills and see how far I have mastered them too. "</p><p>Hestia oohed at that. This was certainly interesting.</p><p>"How's your control over the powers I granted you?"</p><p>"Fire Control is still at level 1 and costs double the amount of HP compared to water."</p><p>"It must be since water is fire's opposite."</p><p>"Hestia, I know it is a big ask but can you train me and help improve my fire control? It will be extremely helpful -"</p><p>"Of course", Hestia replied instantly as she interrupted him mid-sentence. Percy smiled as he whooped with excitement.</p><p>"But we will need a private place since I do not want anyone to know about this yet, especially my youngest brother, for your safety. You are nowhere near powerful enough to defend yourself against a god right now", Hestia said.</p><p>"I have got the perfect place", Percy said as his sea-green eyes suddenly burst into fire and danced with mirth. "In fact, let me show you right now".</p><p>Percy then touched her arm as he whispered, "<strong>Dimension Create</strong>".</p><p>All of a sudden, the voices in the forest died down yet again and the sky's colour changed as per custom. Hestia looked around confused at first then realised Percy's words. He had created a whole dimension where they were the only ones.</p><p>"This is an alternate dimension. It runs at the same time as that of earth but there's no one here except for us and it doesn't affect the real world so if we destroy anything, nothing will happen out there", Percy explained.</p><p>'This is certainly helpful and quite a power', Hestia thought.</p><p>"Very well, we should start training tomorrow when you don't have to follow the camp schedule so that no one suspects what you're doing and goes looking after you. It will raise quite a few questions", Hestia said.</p><p>Percy merely nodded as he dismissed the dimension.</p><p>"Thank you, Hestia", he said earnestly as he gave her a grateful hug. He had wanted to share this with someone since he had been bearing this burden alone and now that she was with him, it made things easier.</p><p>"No need Percy, I will always be here", she said as she smiled. "I will see you tomorrow" with that, she teleported back to Olympus Percy assumed. He too returned to his bed as he got ready for the training sessions which would begin the next day.</p><p>
  <strong>You have slept in your own bed! All HP and MP restored.</strong>
</p><p>Percy dismissed the notification as he got out of bed. He got ready and walked to the dining pavilion where he would start his day with the Athena cabin or more specifically - Annabeth. She had been a huge help lately and had readily volunteered for the quest further cementing how much she had done for him. He was eternally grateful to her and would do anything to keep her safe.</p><p>"Annabeth!", Percy exclaimed when he saw the familiar blonde-haired girl with her siblings. He walked to their table and greeted the others. He had become friends with the entire cabin in the wake of his friendship with their head counselor.</p><p>"Hey Percy", she replied with a smile. "Ready for your studies today?" Truthfully, she had started enjoying spending time with the son of Poseidon even more lately and oftentimes would try to prolong his studies as much as she could so that she could be with him longer.</p><p>"As always, we also need to talk about the quest. How about studying at the beach today? It will be a nice change from the cabin."</p><p>"Sounds good", she said. Percy bid his farewell and proceeded to his table to have breakfast. Annabeth then looked around at her siblings who were sporting knowing smirks on their faces.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Nothing, just that a daughter of Athena and a son of Poseidon are getting along a bit too well", teased Malcolm.</p><p>Annabeth felt her cheeks redden at that. "It is nothing like that, we need to plan things out. That idiot can hardly do anything, I bet he planned on entering the Underworld and confronting its ruler straight away with no tact whatsoever. Someone needs to be there to watch over him before he ends up blowing up the world."</p><p>"Someone seems concerned".</p><p>"I am not", she said a little too quickly.</p><p>"Relax Annabeth. All of us are with you in case something does happen and we will even try speaking to mom if things come to that".</p><p>Annabeth merely nodded. She was not in a position to say anything without it being used against her since they were right in whatever they said till now even though she had a hard time accepting it herself.</p><p>Post breakfast, Annabeth found herself sitting at the beach with a bunch of books surrounding her, waiting for the idiot to show up. Even though he had become intelligent, it seemed that it only extended to his brain and not common sense since he was making a girl wait.</p><p>Said idiot soon turned up and plopped down beside her. Fortunately for him, post breakfast, Chiron had spoken to Percy and excused him from the schedule. He gave Percy liberty to train as he wished but he had to report to Chiron on what all he had done so that Chiron could give him advice as and when needed.</p><p>With that, their studies started or more specifically, Annabeth tutoring Percy. If someone looked from afar, they would be treated to the scene of Percy being scolded by Annabeth almost every other minute for something or the other whilst he doused her in water every now and then. It was quite the scene to see a daughter of Athena and a son of Poseidon get along so well as several campers, most notably the children of Aphrodite, Hermes and Athena, were seen clicking photos with their cameras.</p><p>This soon came to an end as lunch time approached. Percy thanked her with another of his lopsided grins which didn't help things for Annabeth who wanted him to stay for longer.</p><p>Post lunch, Percy headed to Zeus' Fist where he was supposed to meet Hestia for his first day of fire training. He found the goddess sitting at the top, patiently waiting for him in her now default twelve year old form. They headed to the alternate dimension where his training officially started.</p><p>Turns out, the gentle goddess could be quite the slave driver as at the end of the session Percy lay on the ground breathing hard. She had not pulled her punches when it came to it and was constantly on him to give his best regardless of how battered he was. She wanted him to get stronger and she would see to it one way or the other. This did have unexpected results though.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to continuous use, Fire Control has levelled up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 3 - Cost 94 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>"So did the training pay off?", Hestia asked as they sat together.</p><p>"I levelled up twice just from this one session", Percy replied with a smile, "It seems that the MP cost reduces by 2 every time I level up whilst it reduces by 1 when it comes to water control."</p><p>"Perhaps it's because I'm the eldest daughter and hence my blessings would be stronger compared to that of my younger brother", Hestia joked.</p><p>"It might just be that case", Percy replied seriously.</p><p>Once Percy had recovered his breath, they travelled back and soon bid goodbye.</p><p>He had decided to focus on several skills for the first five days which were:</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>~Time Skip : 5 days~</em>
</p><p>At the end of the first five days, Percy had grown by leaps and bounds. He did not have to look at his stats to know that. However, a quick look greeted him with the following results :</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 25)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Bonus : +5% reading speed</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 20 + 2 = 22</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 15 + 1 = 16</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 14 + 2 = 16</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 14 + 2 = 16</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 650 + 50 = 700 / 700</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 6 - 88 MP / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Hestia's training had been extremely useful even though it was tiring to say the least. Percy had been spending quite a bit of time with her as well as Annabeth and had grown close to both of them, especially the former.</p><p>Right now, he was with Hestia in the alternate dimension; experimenting with his fire powers. Ever since his control had grown, he had started trying new things which may help in combat or get him out of tough situations. So far, he had found a way or two but he still needed to work on them before he could utilise them in active combat.</p><p>He had been putting special emphasis on science lately to see what could work in his favour since he now had control over fire and water - both had their own uses. Suddenly, Percy had a crazy idea. What if he combined water and fire to create steam?</p><p>Acting on impulse, he summoned some water from his inventory and ignited his hand.</p><p>"Percy, what are you doing?" Hestia asked.</p><p>Percy ignored her as he willed the water to fall on his hand and it all vaporised. The general area around him was now bathed in steam. He let his instincts loose as he felt everything around him and to his surprise, he could easily detect Hestia who was sitting atop the rock trying to see him. He knew she could sense his presence since she was a goddess but looking for him was another matter altogether.</p><p>He realised that technically, steam was still water but in gaseous form. Since he could detect everything in water, he could do the same on land. This would be extremely useful if he wanted to sneak up on someone while concealing himself or during a fight when he needed to assess the situation, his ADHD could work to an extent.</p><p>Two notifications then popped up.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>By combining scientific knowledge and common sense, you were able to create a new use for your water abilities.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 16 + 1 = 17</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Steam Control </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 1 - 75 MP / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Superheat water to create a cloud of steam for multiple purposes.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>"Percy, you alright? What were you trying?", Hestia asked again. She was confused as to why he would suddenly create steam.</p><p>"Give me a moment".</p><p>He was now on a roll. Since he used fire on water to make steam, what if he took the warmth from the water and use it to create ice? He closed his eyes and let his senses drift out. He felt the water in the steam as he connected to them. Percy then proceeded to use his fire abilities to take away all the heat from it as the temperature rapidly fell until he heard a gasp from Hestia. He opened his eyes to see if she was fine only to be amused by her expression. She was looking around him with wide eyes and Percy followed her gaze only to see that he had successfully created ice.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ice Control</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 1 - 100 MP / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Freeze water and use it for deadly attacks.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Bonus : WIS : 17 + 1 = 18</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(Level 14 - 37 MP / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy then dismissed the water as he then explained what he had been trying to do to Hestia. She was pretty impressed with his application and happy that he had found two more things that could help him moving forward. Eventually, they returned since Hestia had other duties to take care of whilst Percy headed to the bonfire. He had completely forgotten about something imperative that he had to do.</p><p>Percy sat near the Hermes cabin as he looked at the status bars of all the campers. About three-fourth of the children were unclaimed. This was going to change tonight.</p><p>"Hey", Percy greeted a kid named Ethan. They hadn't met officially so Percy thought he'd start afresh. He was an Asian boy who was around the same age as him give or take two years maybe. He had a slim, wiry build, glossy black hair and a son of Nemesis, the goddess of balance, retribution and vengeance.</p><p>"Hey Percy", Ethan replied.</p><p>"Wait. How did you know my name? We haven't even met", Percy replied, surprised.</p><p>Ethan scoffed, "Who doesn't? You're the first son of Poseidon in decades not to mention the big ass show that your dad put on when he was claiming you. Sort of makes it impossible to forget."</p><p>Percy frowned, "Fair enough. So how about we start introductions?" he ended with a genuine smile.</p><p>"Ethan Nakamura but I don't know who my mother is."</p><p>"Wait, you don't? I thought you were a son of Athena. You seem to look like a person who is well balanced I guess and has a sense of justice if I'm right?" Percy was completely bullshiting by now since he did not exactly know how to reveal this to Ethan so he went along with what came to mind. He figured that everyone would be happier being claimed and hence, won't ask too many questions. He'd cross that bridge later.</p><p>Ethan blinked, "Well you are half correct when you say this. I indeed try to balance out things however, I won't use justice as part of my character. I prefer being petty."</p><p>"Huh. You're right, so that's what I must be feeling."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Ethan was now curious and some of the campers who had overheard the brief exchange between the two.</p><p>"Your aura. I can somewhat sense it and from what I can gather and after speaking to you, I would guess that your mother is Nemesis, goddess of balance, retribution and vengeance."</p><p>"As if you could - ", Ethan began but was interrupted when a loud gasp was heard from the campers around them. They were suddenly looking at him no, rather above him. Ethan then looked up and to his surprise, saw the glowing symbol of his mother : a set of scales. It seems as though Percy was right.</p><p>There was a hush silence all over the place as everyone stared at Percy for doing something that had never been done before. It was further cemented when Chiron exclaimed, "Percy, you did that again? You were able to figure out who's who just like before?"</p><p>To many of the campers, those words were nothing short of ridiculous as they couldn't believe what Chiron had just said. While many looked at Percy with sheer ridiculousness written on their face, many others looked at him with hope that they'd finally get to know who their parents were. So they all turned to Chiron first, demanding an explanation.</p><p>"When Percy was an unclaimed demigod and had virtually no knowledge of the supernatural, somehow, he was able to identify me and Grover even though we were in disguise and hardly recognisable. Even we do not know how this came to occur but Percy has been right till now it seems."</p><p>With that said, the floodgates opened and the unclaimed campers soon crowded Percy trying to get his attention from all sides, demanding to be the first one for the most valuable information a person could get in their lives.</p><p>That night turned out to be one of the most memorable ones as it was practically a light show as campers were claimed left and right. Percy had been able to correctly identify every single camper's parent whilst making up the most ridiculous explanations he could think of. Mostly, he tried tying a person's behaviour or some other trait that was somehow related to the domain of the god's child in question. Nobody interrupted him until the final one was done. As soon as the child was claimed, everyone erupted into a huge shout of exuberance. They cheered Percy for what he had done for them as the fire roared, reaching the heavens. Things were looking up for them now.</p><p>
  <strong>You have slept in your own bed! All HP and MP restored.</strong>
</p><p>The following day, Percy woke up and sighed. Last night whilst magical was tiring. He was practically deaf. He had a shower wherein he was easily healed and felt full of energy. However, before Percy stepped out, he pulled up his stats that he needed to train for the next five days before he left for the quest. They now read as :</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 20 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 16 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 16 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 22 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 18 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 8)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 25)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 5 - 7 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 6 - 32 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Taunt (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Summon Meals (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 14)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Blood Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dimension Create (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ice Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Steam Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control (Level 6)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy hummed as he gave them a once over. He first decided to eliminate those that he could not improve or would increase as a by-product of his training so he didn't have to put special consideration into it.</p><p>
  <b>...</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 20 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 8)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 5 - 7 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 14)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ice Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Steam Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control (Level 6)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Out of all these, he needed to increase his base strength along with sword fighting for sure. Whilst he was at it, he could start swimming and use the water around him to boost his speed as well as perform intricate maneuvers that would increase swimming, strength and water control.</p><p>When it came to ice, steam and fire control, he would need to practice those independently or try using both elements together. It would undoubtedly be a hassle but the pay off would be sweet.</p><p>With that in mind, Percy headed out, ready to start his day.</p><p>
  <em>~Timeskip : 4 days, one day before the quest~</em>
</p><p>Percy was lounging near the beach as he chewed on some brownies that he had summoned using Hestia's blessings. He had worked himself to the bone during the last four days with hardly any breaks and no sleep. However, today he was resting since he had to go on the quest tomorrow to save his mom and to find the tinfoil which was capable of mass destruction. To be honest, he did not really care about it. His mom's safety and well-being took precedence over everything else so if that could be achieved by finding the bolt, he'd do that.</p><p>His stats also had seen quite the jump during this time. Chiron too had been happy when he had seen how seriously Percy had been training. Of course, Chiron wasn't aware of Hestia's blessings Percy had, something he'd use only if the situation called for it. Coming back to the point, Percy popped up his stats:</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 23 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 18 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 18 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 10)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 7 - 9 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 7 - 34 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 5)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 16)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ice Control (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Steam Control (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control (Level 8)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>As Percy finished and got up to leave, he saw Luke walk towards him.</p><p>"Hey Percy, ready for tomorrow?"</p><p>"I don't know what I'll face but I've trained as much as I can so let's see how it goes."</p><p>"Wanna head over to the arena for one last training session before you leave?"</p><p>"Sure".</p><p>The two didn't exchange any other words as they reached the arena and got their swords ready.</p><p>Luke came after him first. Percy opened up his senses as he saw the attacks coming and countered them with his own. He had practiced quite a bit however, it seemed that Luke was still better than him. Just as he stepped forward and tried to thrust his sword, Luke suddenly sidestepped as he twisted his blade with the flat of his own sword so that he had no choice but to drop his weapon.</p><p>Just as Luke disarmed him, Percy caught a cold look on Luke's face which was unlike what he had seen. This was quickly replaced by Luke's usual smile but Percy couldn't ignore it. He could have chalked it up as his imagination however, he couldn't since he felt dread wash over him in troves. It just felt like it was something / someone else entirely. Taking caution, Percy reused <strong>Observe </strong>on Luke just to be sure. However, what he saw was entirely off the charts and topped the 'screwed up stuff happening around me' list he had been maintaining in his head.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Luke Castellan</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Luke is a son of Hermes who hates his father due to his past. He wants to take revenge on the gods for not being there for their children when they needed them the most. He wants them to learn their lesson by usurping them from their thrones.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Luke stole Zeus' Lightning Bolt and Hades' Helm of Darkness so that they are weakened from a war amongst themselves. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Luke believes he can recruit Percy to his cause by using underhanded means.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Before he could react, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> forced Percy to relax. Luke was the instigator of the upcoming war. Because of him, everyone was in danger and quite possibly his mother too. He had to go search for something that this man in front of him had hidden somewhere so safe that not even most talented gods could find it. Percy had lots of emotions running inside of him however, he needed to keep up appearances for now since he needed to find the bolt and Luke might shift its location if it wasn't at Camp. He vowed to confront Luke once he was back from the quest.</p><p>He had been staring at the screen for a minute now and it looked as though he was staring at Luke.</p><p>"You good Percy?"</p><p>"Yeah, I was just surprised by the move you just used. Can you teach that to me?" Percy asked; quickly thinking of a reason so that Luke doesn't suspect anything. Luckily for him, any further questions were staved off as Luke started teaching him.</p><p>An hour later, Percy had been able to successfully learn the skill and use it on Luke a couple of times though he suspected that Luke had been a little serious at most.</p><p>"Thanks for the help", Percy said.</p><p>"Anytime. I may have something for you tomorrow for your quest, just meet me once before you leave. Okay?"</p><p>Percy hardly trusted Luke now but he nodded and flashed a grateful smile (not) as they separated ways.</p><p>Percy headed to the Athena cabin where he had to finalise everything that was needed with Annabeth. He walked up to the door and knocked. The owl at the front still creeped him out, it felt as though it had its eyes on him and only him.</p><p>"Annabeth!", Percy exclaimed with a genuine smile as he saw the blonde in question wearing her usual outfit with her hair tied in a ponytail.</p><p>"Come in Percy", she replied as she moved to let him in. Most of her siblings were out for camp activities, only a handful remained and they were all busy with their studies. Typical.</p><p>"The camp is going to provide us with a few essential supplies and will drop us off at New York after which we are on our own", Annabeth began, "we cannot travel by air of course since you're the son of Poseidon so we'll have to make our way across the country."</p><p>"It'll be a nice road trip", Percy quipped.</p><p>"Except it'll be filled with monsters and an extremely high chance to die before we even reach the Underworld", Annabeth deadpanned.</p><p>"Still"</p><p>"Moving on, I suggest we take a bus. They usually travel a fair distance overnight and we have a good chance of making it to Los Angeles on time with a few days as a buffer just in case things go awry which I suspect they will", Annabeth continued, completely ignoring him. Leave it to her to finish the planning down to the smallest detail.</p><p>"Anything else?"</p><p>"Hmm not really. Just make it back out alive and reach Olympus on time to prevent a massive war from breaking out."</p><p>"Sounds about right. Well, since you have everything planned out, let's leave post breakfast."</p><p>"Sure, see you tomorrow Seaweed Brain. Don't get us killed."</p><p>"No pressure. Later, Wise Girl", Percy replied as he smiled at her and saw her face redden once again. He still wasn't entirely sure as to why it happened but he knew that it would be detrimental to his health if he tried asking her or Hestia. So he decided not to poke the bear and walked out of the cabin as he made his last and most special visit of the day.</p><p>Percy reached the hearth to find a familiar goddess poking at the fire. He let his eyes catch fire as it was now a custom between them. Hestia, on the other hand, liked seeing him like that since he was her first champion and she liked to be reminded of that, not that she ever forgot in the first place since she kept an eye on him. She had always been protective when it came to family but she had a special place for her champion and as such, had become over protective.</p><p>"Hestia", he greeted as he sat beside her.</p><p>"Ready for tomorrow?", Hestia asked with worry evident in her voice.</p><p>"I am and with your blessings, things will be easier", Percy smiled as he tried to reassure the goddess.</p><p>"Promise me you'll come back in one piece. I don't want anything to happen to my first champion."</p><p>"I promise Hestia."</p><p>No other words were needed. Both knew how the other felt. They sat in comfortable silence until Artemis started to rise and it was almost time for Percy to sleep since he had to be well rested and up early the next day.</p><p>"Goodnight Hestia, I hope I'll see you soon", Percy said. He was extremely anxious now which Hestia didn't fail to pick up.</p><p>She gave him a hug as she sent warm flashes of hope through his body.</p><p>"Don't worry Percy. When all seems to go wrong, when it seems the whole world is against you, remember that Hope will be with you regardless, all the way. I will be by your side."</p><p>Percy was moved by her words and hugged her tighter as the smell of wood smoke drifted towards him. He took in a deep breath as he relished in the familiarity of it as it filled him with hope for a better day and a better future.</p><p>"You're the best", Percy finally said with a lopsided grain.</p><p>Again, Hestia felt her cheeks heaten up at that. She vowed to read and find out what is it that caused this to happen. She could obviously not get sick since she was a goddess so what caused it? It had to do something with Percy since it only happened when she was around him. With a final goodbye, she vanished.</p><p>The next day, Percy sacrificed more food than usual during breakfast most of which went to Hestia. He was grateful to her since she had given him courage and confidence for the quest. Once he was done, Percy headed to the hill where he was supposed to meet the others. He was ready.</p><p>
  <strong>x.x</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Percy's Stats</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in combat and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes. He is also Hestia's champion which grants him control over fire and lets him summon meals and drinks.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 11</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp - 1711 / 2160</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 700 / 700 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 23 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 18 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 18 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 22 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 18 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 10</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $3660 / D0</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : Demigod</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Skills</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 10)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 25)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 7 - 9 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 7 - 34 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Taunt (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 5)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Summon Meals (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God </strong>
  <strong>(Gives +20 STR, VIT &amp; DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 16)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Blood Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dimension Create (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ice Control (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Steam Control (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control (Level 8)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>x.x</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">A/N</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Yes, I am aware that the aura sensing thing was similar to the OG fic however, I would do it all over again since that scene was beautiful and the campers deserve better than not knowing who their parents are. Sue me. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>So this chapter was fairly slow but things will get interesting once Percy leaves for the quest and what will follow. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Do review and follow!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Until next time.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Interactions and Blessings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">A/N</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Should I include other mythologies as well as snapshots of other mythologies in between the canon something like fillers? If so, which ones would you like to see?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Disclaimer : I do not own PJO or any of its characters.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>x.x</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 9</strong>
</p><p>Just as Percy started to walk towards the hill, a notification popped up.</p><p>...</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Save Sally, find the Lightning Bolt and Helm of Darkness</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>5,000 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your mother back and safer than ever</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure - </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sally's Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mass Destruction</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>End of the age of the gods</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>This quest has been auto accepted. Do you really need a reason to save the world and/or the gods?</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>Percy's eye twitched. He was so going to have a few words with the Fates when he met them next. If they were the ones giving him the quests, they really had a lot of free time in hand since they could be smart asses about things like this. What was this nonsense about the 'end of the age of gods'? He thought about it. What had the Fates told him? Kronos was rising. Did these events have something to do with the Titan Lord?</p><p>He sighed as he dismissed the notification and walked up to the small party that had assembled on the hill. He decided that he won't dwell too much on things or try to since it did nothing but raise more questions. Apparently, this change was brought about as his intelligence started to increase. He found himself more curious and questioned things much more than he would initially. Is this how Annabeth felt when she couldn't find answers or was curious? Something to ask her he mused.</p><p>He reached the hill to find Chiron, Grover, Luke and Annabeth waiting for him. Grover was chewing on a diet coke can as he stood nervously whilst the other three seemed to talk about quest or the news in general since their faces were serious.</p><p>"Hey guys, sorry to keep you waiting", Percy said.</p><p>"Seaweed brain, didn't anyone ever teach you not to keep people waiting, especially a girl?", Annabeth replied. Ah wasn't she just lovely? However, she sounded more annoyed than before for some reason. Percy didn't think about it as Luke walked up to him with a box in hand.</p><p>"Open it", Luke said.</p><p>Percy complied as he saw a pair of sneakers that looked nothing out of the ordinary. Seeing his confused look, Luke took one out and said, "Maia!".</p><p>Suddenly, white bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, startling him. Just then, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> came to the rescue and saved him before he could drop the shoes. The wings flapped a bit before they folded and disappeared.</p><p>"Awesome!" Grover said.</p><p>Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days so you can have these."</p><p>Percy just thanked him but before he put them on, he decided to use <strong>Observe</strong> just to be on the safe side.</p><p>...</p><p>
  <strong>Talaria of Mercury </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Obviously a cheaper imitation of the Talaria of Mercury. These are still effective, able to increase the speed of the user as well as gives the ability to fly. This pair has been cursed to drag the user to the depths of Tartarus itself once near its entrance.</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>'Great' Percy thought, 'just my luck'. He didn't have a bag since Annabeth had told him that the camp would be providing them with supplies and sure enough there was a backpack lying on the ground for him. Annabeth and Grover carried similar ones. He opened the bag and discreetly put the shoes in his inventory as he pretended to store them inside said bag. The camp had loaned them about twenty golden drachmas. These coins were as big as Girl Scout cookies and had images of various Greek gods stamped on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. They had also been provided with a flask of nectar and an airtight bag full of ambrosia squares. Percy used <strong>Observe</strong> and sure enough the results were enough to make him want to raid the store wherever they stashed both items.</p><p>...</p><p>
  <strong>Nectar - drink of the gods</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Nectar restores MP fully with no risk of burning up.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ambrosia - food of the gods</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ambrosia restores HP fully with no risk of burning up.</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>This was gold right there. This practically guaranteed him having unlimited HP and MP. Percy made a mental note to raid Olympus once he delivered the bolt if he was able to in the first case. Moving on, Annabeth was bringing her magic Yankees cap, which turned her invisible. She carried a book on famous classical architecture, written in Ancient Greek to read when she got bored, and a long bronze knife, hidden in her shirt sleeve.</p><p>Grover, on the other hand, wore his fake feet and his trousers to pass as human. He wore a green rasta-style cap, because when it rained, his curly hair flattened and you could just see the tips of his horns. His bright orange backpack was full of scrap metal and apples to snack on. In his pocket was a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him, even though he only knew two songs both of which sounded pretty bad on reed pipes.</p><p>Before they left, Chiron called Percy to have a private word with him.</p><p>"Quite the trouble you caused Percy", Chiron began.</p><p>"What?", Percy asked. He wasn't sure what Chiron was talking about since he had quite a history of being a troublemaker.</p><p>"Gabe", he said simply.</p><p>Percy froze. He did not expect anyone to know about this so soon. He knew people would be after him eventually but this, this was too soon. However, seeing the look of panic about to set on Percy's face, Chiron moved to quickly placate his fears.</p><p>"Don't worry, I have taken care of it. The mortals believe what I led them to believe."</p><p>"How?" Percy sputtered. He was just about to freak out even more but <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> kicked in again as he calmed down.</p><p>"Trade secrets", Chiron said as he winked at Percy.</p><p>At his questioning look, Chiron decided to explain.</p><p>"The Mist. Read the Iliad, it's full of references. In short, whenever the divine or monsters mix with the mortal world, Mist is generated, which obscures the vision of humans. You will see things just as they are, being a half-god, but humans will interpret things differently. I used it to change things at your apartment so people don't suspect either you or your mom. Everything is alright and you can visit it too if you want. Don't worry about it."</p><p>"Can I learn how to control the Mist?"</p><p>"Yes, but I will teach you once you're back. Take care and good luck Percy."</p><p>The three then walked down the hill, past the camp boundaries. They were going to be escorted till New York by the camp's head of security - Argus. He supposedly had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised. They made their way to the white SUV where Percy sat in the middle while Annabeth and Grover flanked him.</p><p>The drive passed peacefully as everyone was occupied with their thoughts. It was sunset by the time they reached Manhattan. Argus dropped them off at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from his previous apartment. It was getting late; Percy turned to Annabeth and met her gaze. It seemed that they were thinking of the same thing as she nodded at his mental question.</p><p>"Percy lives in New York right? So why don't we settle in at his apartment for the night before we head to the bus station in the morning? This way, we can be alert during the day for possible attacks without straining ourselves too much", Annabeth explained. It was a logical plan and everyone agreed to it.</p><p>Soon, Percy made his way into the apartment with Grover and Annabeth in tow. The apartment was now clean of all the trash as well as Gabe's smell which Percy was glad of.</p><p>"Why don't you guys freshen up while I cook dinner?" Percy asked. In reality, he was just going to summon some food using his new powers but he didn't want them to know since he had promised Hestia not to tell anyone.</p><p>"Annabeth, you can use the room down the hall on the right. It's my mom's room. Grover, you can use mine, you know where it is", Percy continued. They both nodded and walked off thinking that he needed time since this was the very place which brought back bad memories. Percy had managed to keep a hold of himself as the memories of his last visit flashed in his mind – the way his mother smiled at him and hugged him, her smell and everything about her. He vowed that he would get his mother back regardless of the cost.</p><p>Putting those thoughts aside, he waved a hand and imagined a few dishes. They appeared before him in a flash of flames; ready to be devoured. They hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and all of them were famished. Percy's appetite had grown since he had discovered his gamer powers. He couldn't quite explain why this happened but as long as he didn't become unhealthy, he was fine. He couldn't get unhealthy too – perks of being a half-god. He then went ahead and set-up the table as he waited for the other two.</p><p>While Percy was in the kitchen, Annabeth walked into the room which Percy had told her was his mother's. It was extremely tidy and the bed was made. A wall was decorated with some pictures. She walked to one of them and saw that it was of a gorgeous woman who could give many people in the supernatural world a run for their money and the object of her interest - a certain sea-green eyed son of Poseidon. He was about seven years old in the picture as he had his arms around his mother from behind with his head poking out as he looked at her in an adorable manner. The backdrop was of the beach which Annabeth assumed was taken during one of their vacations. She moved and saw various pictures of the two of them. It seemed that they were extremely close which caused a pang of sadness in her heart as she remembered her own past. She clamped down on that feeling as she turned towards the shower and freshened up.</p><p>Soon, Annabeth found herself in front of a whole meal cooked by Percy. There were a few dishes and they looked mouth-watering. She felt bad that she couldn't help out Percy and that he had been practically looking after them even though they should be helping him out seeing that it is his house. It was just basic courtesy.</p><p>Annabeth took a bite out of the food and her eyes lit up. This was one of the best dishes she had ever had and that was saying something since the food at camp was delightful to say the least.</p><p>"This is delicious Percy", she commented.</p><p>Percy looked at her and gave her a smile.</p><p>Just a simple smile and she was already putty. Annabeth groaned inside her head. Why was she getting affected by him? If this was Aphrodite's doing, she was going to have a word with her – goddess or not.</p><p>Once they were done with the meal, Annabeth tried to help Percy clean the dishes but he waved her off. He wanted to try something so he just let her watch as she stood nearby. Grover had hopped off to bed as he was pretty tired. Poor Satyr was still trying to come to terms with the fact that they were going to the Underworld which wasn't exactly on the list of 'top places to visit' in general.</p><p>Percy soaked the dishes a bit in water as he willed one plate to rise and used the water on it to scrub it clean with the necessary fluids Annabeth had taken out. He didn't know the first thing about dish washing however, Annabeth was the smart one (for now) so he followed whatever she said.</p><p>Soon, he was able to clean all the dishes properly as Annabeth looked at him with a smile. She was certainly impressed with his power and control over water.</p><p>"Why don't you head off to sleep? I'll just stack the plates properly and sleep then", Percy said.</p><p>Annabeth agreed as she disappeared from view</p><p>Percy then picked up one plate and lit his hand on fire as he dried it thoroughly, killing all the bacteria and germs on it. He repeated the process until all the dishes were almost shining.</p><p>Just then, a notification popped up.</p><p>...</p><p>
  <strong>New skill unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Cleaning dishes (Level – Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Due to your control over water and fire, you're able to clean and dry plates properly.</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>This was an extremely useless skill! How was this even supposed to help him?! His real life had really turned into a game. Percy just sighed as he called it a night and went to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a crazy day.</p><p>
  <em>~Next Morning~</em>
</p><p>Morning was definitely not a quiet affair as the demigods bustled to get ready and scarf down breakfast, courtesy of Percy. They needed to leave for the terminal since the bus for Los Angeles would be leaving soon.</p><p>Somehow, they were able to make it in time as they stepped into the bus and headed towards the back seats. The bus was relatively empty save for a few people which was odd since morning busses usually ran filled to the brim. They would have left the bus and tried to board another one however, just before they could move, the doors shut and the bus lurched forward almost throwing the trio off balance. Seeing no other choice, they decided to sit near the emergency exit door at the back since that would be helpful in case they needed to make a quick escape without being noticed.</p><p>"Be on your guard, something is amiss", Annabeth whispered.</p><p>They huddled near the emergency exit and kept watch over the rest of the passengers. It seemed as though all of them were sleeping for some reason except for the bus driver and two old ladies. Just as Percy looked at them, both turned simultaneously and glared at him at the same time. Their seemingly normal eyes suddenly started to glow like barbeque charcoals. Percy didn't need to use <strong>Observe</strong> to know who they were. One was Megaera and the other was Tisiphone, the other two Kindly Ones. They got up from their seat near the front of the bus as Megaera waved a hand and made their way towards the three of them.</p><p>"Umm guys, I think we have some company", Percy began. Just then, a notification popped up.</p><p>...</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Kill the Furies.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>1000 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>Percy quickly accepted the quest as he turned his attention back to the subject at hand.</p><p>Annabeth looked alarmed as she followed his gaze and locked on to the two old ladies who were just a few rows ahead of them now.</p><p>"Here's the plan. I will turn invisible and go behind their back whilst you two distract them okay?" Annabeth said quickly. Leave it up to her to come up with strategies on the fly. Both of them nodded as Annabeth quickly wore her cap and vanished from sight.</p><p>Just as the Furies passed a row, they suddenly stopped and looked around as though they were looking for something rather, someone. Before they could do anything about it, Percy decided to intervene.</p><p>"Hey ugly"</p><p>They turned towards him and hissed as they bared their fangs, slowly morphing into the familiar shape of a Fury. The bus driver though was still driving with no apparent care in the world. He didn't seem to notice the two monsters behind him in plain view. Must be the Mist Percy realised.</p><p>"Where is she?", Tisiphone asked.</p><p>"Who?" Percy knew who they were talking about but decided to grate them as much as he could.</p><p>"You know who son of the sea. Ever since she was sent to spy on you, she hasn't come back nor can we sense her. What did you do to her?"</p><p>Welp. Percy needed to do something fast before they spilled the beans. This was bound to raise some questions from Annabeth if it went too far.</p><p>"I killed Alecto. I think you're getting too old to sense her or something", Percy joked. He couldn't stop himself from blurting out whatever came to mind. Grover just looked at him in exasperation as he momentarily forgot the situation they were in currently.</p><p>This seemed to work since they hissed as Tisiphone lurched at him. However, before Megaera could also do the same, her face concerted from rage to confusion to finally pain as she vanished into thin air; leaving behind monster dust.</p><p>Tisiphone didn't notice this as she was focused on Percy at the moment. She brought her claws down, trying to rake Percy across his chest but Percy was quicker than before as he ducked down immediately with his enhanced speed. The seat took the brunt of it as three jagged claw marks appeared behind him with the stuffing spilling out.</p><p>Just as he ducked, Percy summoned Riptide and stabbed her in the abdomen.</p><p>
  <strong>Damage : 200 + 25 = 225</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Anaklusmos Monster Bonus : 225 x 2 = 450</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Bonus : 450 + (450 x 19%) = 535.5 </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike : 535.5 x 330% = 1767.15</strong>
</p><p>She was far from dead as she bent over, crying out in pain.</p><p>"This isn't over Perseus Jackson", she said as she spread open her wings; ready to fly out.</p><p>"Percy! Stop her, she may have some information about the location of the Underworld!" Annabeth exclaimed from somewhere around him. Percy already had Alecto to give him the information however, if he suddenly knew about it well, you get the idea. It would be a cluster fuck. Seriously, he was basically treading on egg shells at every other moment. This power was giving him more problems than advantages. Was it seriously a blessing?</p><p>Before she could jump up, Percy swung his sword again and managed to sever one of her wings which affected her momentum as she crashed into one of the seats.</p><p>"My master will send more monsters after you once he gets to know about your puny little group all alone out of the camp borders especially you son of Poseidon", she said venomously even though she was still gasping for breath.</p><p>"Where is the location of the entrance to the Underworld?" Annabeth demanded as she materalised in front of Percy.</p><p>"As if I will tell you about it", Tisiphone spat.</p><p>"Perhaps this will help", Percy said as he took out some water from a bottle and directed it towards Tisiphone. He formed something like a big bracelet around her forearm and then commanded the water to start shrinking thereby applying pressure to the flesh and bone beneath. The effect was instantaneous as she started howling.</p><p>"DOA... DOA Recording S-S-Studios ahhhh... L-L-Los Angeles", she managed to say as Percy receded the water. By now, she was lying on the seat as she groaned in pain. Before they killed her, Annabeth spoke up.</p><p>"Swear on the Styx that you won't tell anyone about us or our quest", she said.</p><p>"I swear".</p><p>"Good", Annabeth said as she finally stabbed Tisiphone; letting her out of her misery as she was transported back to the Underworld.</p><p>She then turned to Percy, "You and I are going to have a talk later." Her eyes were swirling and became dark, promising pain as she looked at Percy.</p><p>Percy gulped and nodded his head frantically, wanting to be out of her ire as soon as possible.</p><p>Just then, a notification popped up.</p><p>...</p><p>
  <strong>Ping! </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Kill the Furies.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 1,711 + 1,000 = 551 / 2746</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level Up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 12</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability Points : 10 + 2 = 12</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 1 + 2 = 3</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>Percy skimmed through the information and dismissed the screen. He did not have much use of the Mark of the Furies at the moment so he didn't dwell on it.</p><p>They then turned to look at Grover only to find him unconscious from the whole ordeal. That explained the lack of noise and chiding from the Satyr's part. Percy hoped Grover hadn't seen him go crazy otherwise he would be in for a bad time though he felt that it would be easier with him than Annabeth. She still gave Percy an evil eye and he was scared of what was to come.</p><p>"We need to get out of here first. I doubt this bus or route is safe anymore", Annabeth said.</p><p>Grover was still knocked out so jumping out of the bus wasn't an option. Percy spotted an emergency stop switch and pressed it. Almost immediately the bus screeched to a halt as Annabeth opened the emergency exit door and they were out in a flash with Percy carrying Grover over his shoulder. His enhanced strength worked wonders.</p><p>They ran in no particular direction for a while until they saw a two-lane road through the trees. On the other side was a closed-down gas station, a tattered billboard for a 1990s movie and one open business. It wasn't a fast food restaurant but it worked since they needed some place to rest and fill their stomachs before getting a move on. The building read 'Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium'. If he was his old self, he wouldn't have been able to read it due to his dyslexia. Thank the Fates.</p><p>Flanking the entrance, as advertised, were two cement garden gnomes, ugly bearded little runts, smiling and waving, as if they were about to get their picture taken.</p><p>"I smell monsters", Grover said even though all Percy and Annabeth could smell were hamburgers and fried food.</p><p>"Doesn't seem so plus I think your sense of smell is still not fine since you were knocked out", Annabeth reminded Grover.</p><p>"But out of all of us, only Grover can smell monsters. He might be right Wise Girl, let me go in and check first. Meanwhile, I have some food which I had packed. You can have that meanwhile. If I don't come out in 15-20 minutes, then start worrying. Percy then quickly summoned two tiffin's filled to the brim with mouth-watering food that would keep Grover and Annabeth occupied for a while.</p><p>He then walked inside. As he looked around, a door opened and a tall Middle-Eastern woman walked out – at least, he assumed she was Middle Eastern, because she wore a long black gown that covered everything but her hands, and her head was completely veiled. Her eyes glinted behind a pair of sunglasses, but that was about all he could make out. Her coffee-coloured hands looked old, but well-manicured and elegant, so he imagined she was a grandmother who had once been a beautiful lady.</p><p>"And what are you doing here young man?" she asked as she looked at Percy. It felt as though she was scrutinising him, trying to figure out who he was. Remembering Grover's words, Percy didn't want to take any chances as he used <strong>Observe</strong> on her.</p><p>...</p><p>
  <strong>Medusa</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 10,000 / 10,000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 5,000 / 5,000</strong>
</p><p><strong>One of the three gorgons, Medusa used to be a beautiful mortal until she was cursed by Athena for something that wasn't her fault. Her gaze turned anyone she saw into stone. But due to you being blessed by the awesome Fates, you are invulnerable to</strong> <strong>it.</strong></p><p>...</p><p>Percy felt bad for her. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. It was so unfair.</p><p>"Hello? Are you alright here?" she asked again. There was a hint of concern in her voice as she looked at him. It seemed that there was a gentle person behind the tough exterior.</p><p>"Oh yeah hi, I'm fine."</p><p>"What are you doing here alone?" she asked.</p><p>"Well, I was travelling cross country, the bus sort of got messed up and I got lost"</p><p>"What's your name? Are you hungry?"</p><p>"I'm Percy. What about you?"</p><p>"You can call me Aunt Em."</p><p>"Can't I call you by your real name?", Percy asked innocently, "why don't we drop the act since we know who the other is?"</p><p>"And pray tell who am I?"</p><p>"Medusa."</p><p>"How did you know?", Medusa hissed as she got ready to attack him or take off her sunglasses.</p><p>"The very life-like stone statues, the sunglasses and your clothes were quite the giveaway. Not many people wear sunglasses at night and considering the world that we're part of, it was easy to deduce."</p><p>"So you know who I am and still approach me. Do you have a death wish demigod? I also smell the sea on you. This is not helping your case. You do know my story, don't you?"</p><p>"Umm, no not really. I am new to this world so yeah."</p><p>"Well perhaps I can tell you that before I kill you then."</p><p>Percy shrugged as he sat on one of the seats nearby as she took one in front of him.</p><p>"I used to be one of Athena's priests. I devoted my entire life in worship of her during the ancient times. But, one day, that horrible god caught sight of me", she basically spat the last words.</p><p>"He chased me throughout the area until he caught me in Athena's temple as he proceeded to have his way with me", by now a few tears were starting to roll down her cheeks. Percy tentatively reached a bit forward and swiped a few of them with his thumb. However, she flinched at his touch at first but then let him continue as millennia of pain started coming out.</p><p>"I prayed to Athena again and again to save me but, what did she do? She turned a blind eye as she cursed me. No one could ever look upon me without turning into stone. What did I do wrong except pray to her? Was it my fault that a god took an interest in me? Was it my fault that he was more powerful than me such that he had his way with me?" Medusa was now openly crying as she was able to strangely talk to someone properly in an extremely long time.</p><p>"Who was this god?" Percy asked as his eyes blazed with fury.</p><p>"Poseidon"</p><p>"WHAT?!" Percy exclaimed loudly as even Medusa was surprised from his sudden outburst.</p><p>"How could he do this to you? Does he have no shame?" Percy was seething now but before he could lose a gasket, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> kicked in as it brought him back on track.</p><p>"Why are you being so dramatic?", Medusa asked. Percy didn't know whether to tell her the truth or not however, he decided to go with the former if it could make things better between them with the honesty.</p><p>"I am his son", he finally said.</p><p>Medusa sat up as her eyes glowed with rage.</p><p>"How dare you enter this place and talk to me as though nothing happened son of Poseidon? Do you know how it felt suffering for something that was out of your hands? I had decided long ago that if I can't kill the god, I will kill every child of his that walks this planet. But, since I am reasonable, I will let you have this. Any last words?"</p><p>"I am sorry for what happened to you."</p><p>With that done, Medusa removed her glasses and looked at Percy. However, instead of turning to stone, Percy just stared back at her right into her eyes.</p><p>For the first time in a long while, Medusa gasped in utter shock and disbelief.</p><p>"What is this sorcery? How is my curse not working on you?" she said as she held him by his collar and brought him closer; staring into his sea-green eyes but nothing changed.</p><p>"I don't know" Percy shrugged, "but come on, can't we just talk for a while? We were getting along so well" he insisted.</p><p>"How?"</p><p>"Again, I don't know. Can't we just talk?" Percy said as he gave her the baby seal look. It seemed to work as she had a hard time glaring at him until she finally huffed and let go of his collar.</p><p>"As much as I would love to kill a son of Poseidon, you seem to be truly different and interesting from those pompous brats who dared to cross my path before. Sit Percy. I sense your friends are getting agitated outside so we have to make this quick. I don't want any troubles here."</p><p>"Well Medusa, I'm sorry for what happened to you. I know the past can't be changed but, I swear on the Styx that I will find a way to cure you from your curse" Percy said as thunder boomed in the background as the oath was sealed.</p><p>"Are you stupid? Do you know of any artefact or god who is strong enough to undo a curse made by an Olympian?"</p><p>"No, I don't but I will do whatever it takes to right this wrong. I will find a way to heal you from this misery so that you can live a normal life as you deserve", Percy replied as his eyes swirled with his emotions.</p><p>Medusa stared into his eyes as she looked for any deceit in his words however, all she could find was pure determination.</p><p>"Very well Percy, you will find me here if you ever find a cure for my curse", she said as a smile graced her face for the first time in years. In Percy's opinion, she looked prettier with it.</p><p>Just then, a notification popped up.</p><p>...</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Cure Medusa from her curse.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>A new friend / ally </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Lifelong guilt</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Repercussions for broken oath on the Styx</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>Percy accepted the quest without any hesitation whatsoever.</p><p>"I will be back" Percy said as he got up to go.</p><p>Medusa suddenly grabbed his hand and turned him around as she gave him a hug. It had been a long time since she had any physical contact with another person, looked at someone or had a conversation. She would be thankful to Percy even if he was unable to find a cure for her. She was eternally grateful to him for all that he had done.</p><p>Percy hugged her back and promised to visit her as soon as he found the cure. Before he left, he asked her for the directions to the nearest hotel which was relatively safe from monsters. Turns out, the nearest one was nearly an hour away via foot so that was good.</p><p>He bid her farewell and walked out of the gate only to find Annabeth and Grover right in front of it as soon as he opened it.</p><p>"Perseus Jackson", Annabeth growled.</p><p>Oops.</p><p>"Umm sorry?" Percy asked sheepishly whilst rubbing the back of his head.</p><p>"You are digging a bigger hole for yourself. We ARE so going to have a word once we're settled somewhere for the night."</p><p>Grover looked at the two, utterly confused. However, he just ignored it since he knew Annabeth's temper and did not want to come in between. He just mentally prayed for his best friend's safety.</p><p>The trio soon started walking towards the hotel, all conversations were put on hold since they just needed some rest first and were too far out in the open to talk about monsters and the like.</p><p>
  <em>Meanwhile on Olympus</em>
</p><p>Hestia smiled as she saw the exchange between Medusa and her champion. She was proud of the way Percy handled things with her even though she was ticked off for the way he swore an oath on the Styx, for something that was considered practically impossible, not to mention the blatant display in the bus with the Fury. Initially, she had been worried about Percy's safety but that soon changed to worry for his well-being. She had not expected him to snap like this even though she knew his reasons. He was still young but he needed to be strong. She decided against visiting him since he needed some time alone and rest.</p><p>Coming back to the topic, she was glad that she chose Percy as her first and probably only champion. He represented everything that was a part of her domains to the highest degree possible. Even fire, which was the direct opposite of his nature as a son of Poseidon, had become a part of him. Her younger brother was yet to find out about this information. She decided she would hold on to it until the time was right. She watched Percy make his way across the country towards the hotel. She wished she could spend some time in his company however, the quest and the safety of the world was more important than her wants as she settled back and kept a watch on her champion.</p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">With Percy, Annabeth and Grover</span>
  </em>
</p><p>They had checked into a hotel and were resting after a long bath and scrumptious food. Percy had told them not to worry about the bill since he had about $3500 with him.</p><p>After Grover had drifted off to sleep, Annabeth turned towards him.</p><p>"Don't think I have forgotten about our talk", she began. "First thing's first. Mind explaining me what came over you when you suddenly started torturing a Kindly One in the bus?"</p><p>"I-I really don't know. I just wanted to know the location of the Underworld as soon as possible so that we could get there to save my mom faster. It's been nearly a month and I haven't done anything to save her. Now that I am finally on the move, I did not want to waste any time with the stupid games so I guess I just snapped", Percy said as he tried to explain his feelings.</p><p>Annabeth's hard gaze softened at that. She reached out and held one of his hands.</p><p>"Don't worry Percy, we will find your mother and get her back. Just don't scare me like this again alright? If there's something bothering you, remember, all of us have your back through everything."</p><p>"Thanks Annabeth."</p><p>"Now, what was the business at the building? What took you so long?"</p><p>"I met Medusa."</p><p>Annabeth's eyes widened as her mouth opened in shock. Medusa was right there behind the doors and this idiot had walked in, met her and came back out – alive. What the Hades was going on?</p><p>"Explain", she said as she found her voice finally.</p><p>Percy then proceeded to recount his conversation with Medusa as he left out some important parts like him not being affected by her gaze. The oath on the Styx though he did mention.</p><p>Just as he told her about it, Annabeth whacked him on the head as her grey eyes swirled with fury.</p><p>"Are you utterly stupid Perseus Jackson?! How could you make such an oath? Do you even have any idea how to reverse a curse let alone one that was placed by an Olympian god more so, my mother who is the goddess of wisdom?"</p><p>"Umm no?"</p><p>This seemed to piss her off even more as she proceeded to slap him.</p><p>"When will you start thinking things through? Here I thought that spending time with my siblings would help you but no, you just HAD to make this impossible oath. Couldn't you have at least not sworn on the Styx? Gods I can't even leave you alone for a few minutes without you going off and doing something utterly stupid. This is your final warning – do something like this again and you will not be allowed to loiter around on your own during the rest of this quest without me accompanying you. I can't trust Grover too because he is an idiot like you."</p><p>"Annabeth, how could I let her suffer like this?"</p><p>That one statement conveyed with so much sincerity broke Annabeth's rage as she looked into his eyes and saw nothing but the desire to right a wrong especially one which was caused because of his father.</p><p>"Just please think about it before you do anything. And I mean it when I say you won't be allowed on your own if this happens again."</p><p>"Yes ma'am", Percy said as he flashed Annabeth a lopsided smile. His head and cheek were still hurting. This girl could surely hit. He'd rather take his chances with a monster than risk Annabeth's rage. With the talk done, they went to their rooms with Annabeth sleeping whilst Percy pulled out a book from his inventory and started reading.</p><p>Next morning, the three checked out of the hotel after a quick breakfast as they made their way towards a train station nearby.</p><p>They had decided that they won't be travelling in busses anytime soon. Annabeth to her credit had found an Amtrack station half a mile away. The westbound train was going to leave at noon so they had to hurry.</p><p>They had spent two days on the train, heading west through hills, over rivers, past amber waves of grain. To Percy's relief they hadn't been attacked. One evening, he saw something huge move through the woods. He could've sworn it was a lion, except that lions don't live in America, and this thing was the size of a tank. Its fur glinted gold in the evening light. Then it leaped through the trees and was gone. Percy decided to memorise this location. He was so going to come here and have a look at what exactly this was.</p><p>Towards the end of the second day as Grover was sleeping, Annabeth turned to him.</p><p>"What is it like having a loving mother Percy?" she suddenly asked which caught Percy off-guard. He had never heard her sound so vulnerable. It was a far cry from the strong and independent girl he had seen so far.</p><p>"It's the best thing. Even though I never had my dad around, she was always there for me. She was always there to pick me up when I fell down and encouraged me to do better. Even though I had ADHD and Dyslexia, she never minded. She gave up everything for me just so that she could raise me properly when dad left suddenly. I don't think words would ever be enough to describe how much mom means to me. The moment she was taken away, it felt like I too had died. There's no way that I can continue living without her. She's the one that matters far more than anyone else ever could", Percy said as a few tears fell from his face, which he quickly wiped, as he recalled a few memories he had with his mom along with the moment he saw her disappear. She was truly special and no one could ever match her and her importance in Percy's life. For him, she would always be first.</p><p>"That sounds so good", Annabeth said with a faraway look in her eyes.</p><p>"What happened Wise Girl? Do you want to talk about it?"</p><p>"Not really."</p><p>"Sharing is caring. Besides didn't you tell me that you had my back? This goes both ways."</p><p>At that, Annabeth laughed. Only this moron could pull something goofy and unrelated in situations like these.</p><p>"I never knew how it felt to have a family. My dad's resented me since the day I was born. He never wanted a baby. When he got me, he asked Athena to take me back and raise me on Olympus because he was too busy with his work. She wasn't happy about that. She told him heroes had to be raised by their mortal parent."</p><p>"I don't suppose you were born in a hospital", Percy said as he remembered how Athena was born from Zeus' head. Annabeth shook her head as she continued.</p><p>"I appeared on my father's doorstep, in a golden cradle, carried down from Olympus by Zephyr the West Wind. You'd think my dad would remember that as a miracle, right? Wrong, he always talked about my arrival as if it were the most inconvenient thing that had ever happened to him. When I was five he got married and totally forgot about Athena. He got a 'regular' mortal wife, and had two 'regular' mortal kids, and tried to pretend that I didn't exist."</p><p>Percy was now beyond furious. Who would treat someone like this? The world was so unfair and mean. He resolved that he would try to change things for the better however he could. He did not want others to suffer like this. However, his full attention was on Annabeth. She was now trembling slightly as a few tears started making their way down her face. He wiped them off and held her hand to express his support.</p><p>"He doesn't care about me. His wife – my stepmom – treated me like a freak. She wouldn't let me play with her children. My dad went along with her. Whenever something dangerous happened – you know, something with monsters – they would both look at me resentfully. Finally, I took the hint. I wasn't wanted. I ran away when I was seven."</p><p>"The same age as when you arrived at camp", Percy said. Annabeth nodded.</p><p>"Of course I couldn't make it alone all the way from the west coast. Athena watched over me, guided me towards help. I made a couple of unexpected friends who took care of me, for a short time anyway."</p><p>She now seemed lost in sad memories. Percy decided to snap her out of it as he surprised her by enveloping her in a hug as he warmed his body slightly. He could not bear the anguish in her eyes as her body shook with grief. Her suppressed emotions had finally come out and Percy was there for her when she needed someone the most. Percy, on the other hand, wanted to give her hope. Hope for a better future filled with happiness and joy, without suffering. He was so caught up in wanting to make her feel better that he didn't realise his body glow slightly as an orange aura enveloped him. Annabeth too didn't notice this since she had her head buried in Percy's chest. However, she felt hope coarse through her body as her thoughts cleared and became positive. She knew that the worst was finally over and a bright future lay ahead for her.</p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">On Olympus</span>
  </em>
</p><p>Hestia gasped as she felt the changes in Percy's being. The spirit of Elpis had always been around to give hope to those who needed it the most. She never gave her power to anyone other than Hestia herself save for today. She had, on her own accord, bestowed Percy with her blessings thereby granting him some of her power. She knew he was special but this? This just cemented the fact that she had chosen well. Hestia clapped to herself with joy.</p><p>Would Percy's system inform him of this? She had no idea but she wanted to tell this herself so she decided to write a note and send it his way.</p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">With Percy and Annabeth</span>
  </em>
</p><p>Annabeth felt herself drift into the realm of Morpheus as she hugged Percy. The warmth from his body combined with the hope flowing through her being was the perfect combination as she fell asleep. Percy slowly pulled away from her and lay her on the bed as she sighed in content.</p><p>He did not pay attention to the notification as he absent-mindedly dismissed it. He then looked around to find a note on the table beside him. He picked it up. flipped it around and smiled when he saw who it was from.</p><p>"<em>Dear Percy,</em></p><p>
  <em>I can see that your quest is going well. There is lots that I would like to discuss with you especially the stunt you pulled with Medusa. Don't think you're going to get a free pass for that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Anyway, I don't know whether your system has informed you or not but I'd like to tell you this myself. It seems that the spirit of Hope, which I am the guardian of, has blessed you. She has never given her blessings to anyone save for me but it seems that you're special since she went out of her way to bless you. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>About her blessings, it's extremely powerful since Lady Elpis is the personification of the concept of Hope itself - a Primordial. The blessings lets you give and take away hope from another person but it does have its limitations set by her. I know you will use this wisely.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I am so glad that you were chosen by her. I will see you soon!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Love,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hestia"</em>
</p><p>Percy was gobsmacked. What the Hades had just happened? Was it really true? He brought up the notification that he had ignored and there it was.</p><p>...</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You have received the blessings of Elpis, the primordial god and spirit of Hope. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Makarios tis Elpis</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The blessings of Elpis lets you give or take hope from someone.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 1 - Range : All levels below, 20 levels above.</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>After reading the notification, Percy's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. This was so not happening. Just as he was about to dismiss the notification, his eyes suddenly started feeling heavy as he was knocked out and lay unconscious.</p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">In a remote place unknown to all</span>
  </em>
</p><p>Percy glared at the Fates as they looked at him with blank expressions.</p><p>"Was this really necessary? You did not need to drag me here to tell me not to misuse the power", Percy said.</p><p>The Fates suddenly broke into wide grins as Clotho handed Lachesis a small bag of Drachmae.</p><p>"Told you that was the first thing he'd say", said a smug looking Lachesis.</p><p>"How was I supposed to know he had become even more intelligent compared to the last time?" Clotho replied.</p><p>"You hardly keep track of him. There are lots of people watching the young hero you know."</p><p>"Guys, you do know I am here right?" Percy asked.</p><p>"Quiet sisters", Atropos finally said. "You know why you're here Percy but we needed to explain you exactly what a blessing from a Primordial of all people entails."</p><p>"It must be serious if you guys had to call me for this", Percy said as he straightened up.</p><p>"Indeed and you must remember, what we are about to tell you must not be shared by anyone under no circumstances. Hestia too has sworn an oath not to tell anyone about Lady Elpis' blessings.</p><p>The protogenoi were the first beings in this universe created by Lady Chaos herself as personifications of their domains. We were created by our mother, Ananke, who is the personification of inevitability, compulsion and necessity. As such a Primordial is above us too, we cannot control their actions or fate. Moreover, almost no one has ever been blessed by a Primordial. The instances can be counted on one hand. Needless to say, a blessing given by a Primordial is extremely strong. Lady Elpis has somewhat limited your power greatly but, she will gradually increase it until the blessings would be able to affect a minor god easily.</p><p>You must realise the gravity of this situation. Do not use these powers in front of others unless its required and do not misuse it. I fear what mother would do to you if you abused it", the three completed as they took turns speaking.</p><p>Percy was still trying to absorb the information. This was enough to make his head explode due to the source of the blessing. He had definitely NOT planned on this happening ever but here he was.</p><p>"I promise I will handle this as you say", Percy said as he bowed his head a little.</p><p>At this, the Fates smiled.</p><p>'Lady Chaos truly chose the best option. I bet she herself didn't imagine a Primordial blessing her chosen one', Clotho told the other two mentally. They agreed in response.</p><p>"Farewell Percy. Your journey has just begun but we know that you will not disappoint us."</p><p>With that, Percy found himself waking up to the early morning sun.</p><p>"Finally awake Seaweed Brain", Annabeth said. "We are about to reach Missouri. Let's get off for a while, I cannot bear to sit still anymore"</p><p>Oh right they had ADHD.</p><p>Soon, they reached the next stop as they deboarded the train. The city was famous due to the St. Louis Arch which Annabeth wanted to check out because of her love for architecture. Even though Percy wasn't remotely interested in it, he agreed to it for her sake as the three made their way towards their next destination.</p><p>
  <strong>x.x</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Percy's Stats</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD which helps in combat. Blessed by Elpis, the spirit of hope, he has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes. He is also Hestia's champion which grants him control over fire and lets him summon meals.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 12</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp – 551 / 2746</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 700 / 700 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 23 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 18 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 18 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 22 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 18 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 12</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $3400 / D30</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : Demigod</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Skills</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 10)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 25)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 7 - 9 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 7 - 34 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Taunt (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 5)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Summon Meals (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Makarios tis Elpis (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chores :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Cleaning Dishes (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God </strong>
  <strong>(Gives +20 STR, VIT &amp; DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 16)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Blood Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dimension Create (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ice Control (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Steam Control (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control (Level 8)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>A/N</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>So here we are at the end of this chapter. I focused more on dialogue and a bit of progress rather than combat. Moving the story too quickly isn't worth it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Also, do have a look at the A/N at the top and let me know your thoughts!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Until next time.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Roast or Get Roasted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>
    <strong>A/N</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <em>I really need to start updating on this website.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Also, I won't be giving Percy too many abilities since it'll be a drag to actually go through so many of them. There are more ways than one to make him OP later ;)</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Disclaimer : I do not own PJO or any of its characters.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 10 : Roast or Get Roasted</strong>
</p><p>The arch was about a mile from the train station. They threaded their way through the underground museum, looking at covered wagons and other junk from the 1800s. It wasn't all that thrilling, but Annabeth kept telling them interesting facts about how the Arch was built. She seemed to be in a much better mood so Percy was alright with the torture.</p><p>"My nose is messed up. I cannot smell anything since we are underground", Grover whispered.</p><p>"I just hope things go fine", Percy whispered.</p><p>"And you had to say it", Annabeth deadpanned.</p><p>They had reached the place where they were supposed to board the tiny little elevator car to reach to the top of the Arch. They got shoehorned into the car with a big fat lady and her dog, a Chihuahua with a rhinestone collar.</p><p>However, something about her felt off as though she was far more than a normal human. Moreover, dogs weren't allowed at the Arch but she was clearly carrying one but no one even noticed. Before Percy could use <strong>Observe</strong>, he was pushed into one of the cars with the lady, Grover and Annabeth. Just as they got inside, Percy quickly used <strong>Observe</strong> before he forgot.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Echidna – Mother of Monsters</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Echidna is the mother of monsters and the wife of Typhon. Some of her children include Cerberus, the Nemean Lion and the Chimera. She is sometimes tasked by Zeus to test the children of his elder brothers to determine their worth.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chimera</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Known as one of the most fearsome monsters in the Greek world with an extremely hard hide, the Chimera is one of Echidna's children. It's venomous tail and ability to breathe fire makes it a true horror and nigh unbeatable.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy paled when he read who he was with at the moment. How the Hades did this happen? They were so screwed. Just when he was about to break down, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> came to the rescue and straightened him. He had to approach this carefully as he began forming plans in his head. He could now come up with fairly good plans, if he had to say so himself, ever since he had become increasingly intelligent.</p><p>For now, their first priority was to escape. If they could escape quickly, they won't have to worry about the mortals. But how could they escape without drawing any attention from either of the two monsters present in front of him? They could cause a distraction and use that moment to run out. And who could provide a distraction without getting caught? The one and only – Annabeth Chase. Percy mentally patted himself on the back for coming with a good plan.</p><p>A ding was heard just as the group finally reached the top of the Arch.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Survive against Echidna and the Chimera.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards –</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$4,000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>2,000 XP</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>+2 LUC</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Grover and Annabeth die</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy pressed accept as he followed Annabeth around the place with Grover on their heels. Just when they were fairly away from the two monsters, Percy grabbed Annabeth and brought her closer. Annabeth on her part blushed by the sudden contact and closeness.</p><p>'Damn it seaweed brain', she cursed inside his head. However, his next words wiped her blush clean off her face as a sense of dread filled her.</p><p>"I think the lady and the dog who were with us in the elevator are monsters", Percy whispered.</p><p>"What do you mean?", Annabeth hissed. She was so not ready to deal with more of them.</p><p>"Grover, can you try smelling them?"</p><p>The satyr nodded as he slowly took a whiff a few times before his eyes widened.</p><p>"Whatever this monster is, it seems extremely powerful. I don't think we can take it on", he said.</p><p>Welp.</p><p>"I have a plan", Percy said. Annabeth just looked at him as though he had grown a second head.</p><p>"You. And. A. Plan? You're far from it", she asked as she emphasised each word.</p><p>"Hey, I have my moments of brilliance"</p><p>"Can you stop arguing like a couple and start thinking about our lives?" Grover hissed.</p><p>Both teens blushed at that.</p><p>"So I was thinking that Annabeth could use her invisibility cap to cause some sort of distraction here while I cut the glass and we jump down from here. This way the mortals will be fine and we will be alive", Percy said proudly.</p><p>Again, Annabeth looked at him like he was an idiot.</p><p>"The plan degraded regressively as you kept blabbering", she said. "How are we supposed to survive a jump from nearly 200m above …" she stopped as the final part of it registered in her brain. There was water down. Percy was a son of Poseidon. He could control water and cushion their fall. Annabeth smacked her head. Was she getting rusty or was Percy actually getting smarter? What had the world come down to?</p><p>Percy gave her a sickeningly sweet smile as he lauded his victory over the daughter of wisdom and battle strategy. Annabeth just huffed. They looked around, only to find the two monsters glaring at them from across the place.</p><p>"Annabeth, head to the washroom. Come out from there and create a distraction. Meanwhile, if things go south here, Grover and I will handle them", Percy said. Grover had no choice but to nod since well, he did not have a choice.</p><p>Annabeth walked to the washroom and disappeared from view. Echidna made to follow her, hoping to catch the demigod but before she could do anything, a small wave of water hit her flat on her face as she was instantly drenched. Who dared to hit her, the mother of monsters? She turned only to find that the other two had vanished as well.</p><p>"Sonny, can you smell them?", she asked her child as it started sniffing the air. It then growled as it looked in a particular place.</p><p>"Go", she said as she dropped the chihuahua who transformed into its true form. It then let out a roar as mortals started screaming in fear. Just then, the fire alarm rang as the chaos worsened. People were running in all directions as they tried to find the exit and also avoid whatever it was that they were seeing due to the Mist.</p><p>In the panic, Annabeth slipped through the crowds and rendezvoused with Percy and Grover. Percy had somehow managed to cut a hole in the toughened glass with Riptide in hand. Just when they were about to jump through it, a stream of fire burst towards them. They jumped to the side to avoid being burnt to a crisp, even Percy for the sake of appearances.</p><p>"Now, it is rude to not greet people when they came specially to meet you", Echidna said. She had transformed and was now in her true form.</p><p>The Chimera then leapt at Annabeth and Grover, intending to swallow both of them. They jumped out of the way and landed beside Percy.</p><p>"Guys, try to keep Echidna busy while I go after the Chimera, we will have to knock them back and jump together. The fall alone will kill you and I can't go alone" Percy said.</p><p>He then summoned some water from a bottle and threw it at the Chimera's face, successfully gaining its attention. It roared and spewed more fire into the air. Just then the fire sprinklers activated and water started falling, completely drenching everyone.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You are in contact with water!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the sea god perk activated!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 600 + 2,000 = 2,600</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 700 + 2,000 = 2,700</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 23 + 2 + 20 = 45</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 18 + 20 = 38</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 18 + 2 + 20 = 40</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy felt the power course through his body as water fell all around them. He knew that they had little chance of killing the Chimera as of now but he would hold it off until Grover and Annabeth retreated near the hole that he had cut.</p><p>"Annabeth, I will create a wall of water, it won't last long. Just when I say go, grab Grover and jump. I will be right behind you", he said.</p><p>"Are you sure?" Annabeth replied as she ducked under a swipe aimed for head. Grover was playing his reed pipes as he danced around Echidna and grew random roots. It served only to annoy her since she ripped them out just as fast they grew.</p><p>"YES", Percy yelled. He ducked under another fire breath and reached the Chimera's mouth and swung his sword.</p><p>Clang!</p><p>It felt as though Riptide had hit a metal shield as the blade bounced back harmlessly without so much as a scratch on the monsters hide. Percy looked at his sword and then at the monster who seemed to find his confusion humorous. Even Echidna had stopped her assault to regard Percy.</p><p>"My child's hide is almost as strong as that of my other child – the Nemean lion. It would be foolish to even try and injure it", Echidna explained before she turned and started attacking Annabeth and Grover again. Her combat potential seemed relatively less than what Percy had expected.</p><p>There was just a brief respite before the Chimera started its onslaught again. It whipped its tail at Percy with the snake's fangs ready to poison him. Acting on instinct, Percy ducked and rolled away. This was honestly becoming difficult to deal with.</p><p>The Chimera again leapt at Percy but this time, he was ready. Percy willed some water spears to form beside the Chimera and mid-air impaled it or tried to. On a happy note, the force was enough to blow it aside.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Spears : 10</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP used : 48 x 10 = 480</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 2,700 – 480 = 2,220</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Damage : 110 </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Bonus STR damage = 110 + 45 = 155</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Total Damage = 155 x 10 = 1,550</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Not wanting to leave an opportunity aside, Percy willed the water around him to form a cocoon around the monster and hardened it into a dome so that it could be occupied for a few precious seconds. He saw Annabeth dodging a knife slash. Seeing an opportunity, Percy sent a small focused stream of water at high speeds towards Echidna. She too was knocked back.</p><p>"Annabeth NOW!" Percy yelled. He grabbed Grover and hauled the satyr behind him. Annabeth was after him in a flash and the three jumped through the window as they plunged from two hundred metres towards the Mississippi river below.</p><p>Percy connected to the river and willed it to rise and form a cocoon again just like he had earlier and slowed their momentum. Eventually, they reached Terra and quickly disappeared into the crowds; eager to get away from the crazy place.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Survive against Echidna and the Chimera.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 551 + 2,000 = 2,551 / 2,746</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 3,400 + 4,000 = 7,400</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 10 + 2 = 12</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy waved his hand and dismissed the screen. Right now, they had to get back on the train and be on their way to the Underworld. Who knew visiting a monument could be so stressful? Thankfully, the train was still at the platform by the time they arrived. They had just made it to their seats when the train lurched ahead and was on its way to Denver.</p><p>"Percy, how did you manage to repel the Chimera?" the ever inquisitive Annabeth asked. Echidna's level of fighting was low however, she did not need to fight since she had all the monsters to do her bidding.</p><p>"When it leapt at me, I created water spears and hit it on its side. Since it can't change directions mid-air, I waited for this moment so it wouldn't be able to dodge my attack. I then encased it in a hardened water dome like I did with you guys when we jumped from the Arch", Percy explained.</p><p>"Damn Perce, that's amazing! You somehow were able to fight it at the age of twelve and managed to live to tell the tale. Not many can claim that", Grover said. Annabeth nodded her head in agreement. Since they were in their own sleeping cabin and had their privacy, Grover had kicked off his shoes and was in bed whilst he chewed on apples and cans.</p><p>Annabeth was impressed with Percy's control over water. He had been able to somehow contain one of the most feared monsters to exist inside a water dome and then plunge into the Mississippi, saving them by constructing the same dome again for protection and decelerating their momentum.</p><p>"Let's get some sleep, we shall be reaching Denver tomorrow. If you want, we guys can deboard there for a while, stretch our legs and look around or get some good food", Annabeth suggested.</p><p>"If there's a diner near the station, I want to go there", Percy said. It has been a long time since he had visited one and had frankly missed the greasy and fatty food.</p><p>"Sounds good"</p><p>Soon, Grover and Annabeth drifted off to sleep while Percy lay awake. He wasn't tired in the least so he decided to head to the alternate dimension and get some training in while he was at it. He still needed to work harder, the fight with the Chimera just emphasised the fact. As a side thought, what if he was disarmed and it took a while for Riptide to return to him? He needed to learn how to use another weapon rather, he needed a bigger array. He could ask Annabeth for dagger training in Denver and Chiron for archery back at camp.</p><p>Before he left, Percy did a quick swipe of the train cart they were in to make sure that there were no other monsters on board. Finding none, he decided to go.</p><p>'<strong>Dimension Create</strong>' Percy whispered as he seemingly blurred from existence; leaving behind the two demi-gods fast asleep.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 17 – 34 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ice Control (Level 4 – 97 MP / Min)</strong>
</p><p>By the time morning came, Percy had thoroughly exhausted his MP and was drenched in sweat. He had stretched his limits when it came to water control since he would be using his water powers primarily until the situation was desperate enough for him to use fire. A son of Poseidon wielding fire? Yeah, not something you see every day and a few heads would turn (insert Zeus) for his sudden powers.</p><p>They shortly reached a diner that was near the station. The trio slipped into a booth and ordered their food as they chatted idly. The food was soon ready and just as Percy was about to dig into his burger, he felt an overwhelming aura of death and bloodlust around him. His primal instincts of hunt or be hunted were coming out but <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> clamped him down before it could get any worse. It seemed that only he was affected since everyone else, including Grover and Annabeth, were behaving normally save for the latter as they looked at him with concern evident in their eyes. He flashed them a quick smile before he looked over Annabeth's shoulder and sure enough standing there was a guy who was nothing short of intimidating. He wore sunglasses and was dressed in all black save for the blood red muscle shirt. Strapped to his thigh was an oversized hunting knife.</p><p>The person walked into the diner and everyone started rising as though a god was walking amongst them which Percy suspected wasn't far from the truth. Even though he had an inkling to who this individual was, he decided to recheck once again using <strong>Observe</strong> and sure enough, turns out, he was right.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ares – god of war</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : ? </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>That explained his sudden desire to kill. He knew he wasn't invincible, not by a long shot, but he didn't expect a god's aura or presence could affect him. Maybe it had always but he didn't notice it. With Hestia, he always felt at home with no worries and a joyous atmosphere all around. Dionysus, he suspected, had to restrain or hide his aura since he didn't feel anything when he was close to the wine god.</p><p>The god waved a hand and gestured everyone to sit. He then walked over to them and slid into the booth next to Grover whose eyes bulged as he ate his enchiladas whole with the wrappings. Ares ignored the satyr and looked at Percy. Said demigod, on the other hand, simply returned an indifferent look. Suddenly, Ares' eyes glowed a little behind the sunglasses. Percy felt the similar bloodlust around him just as his desire to kill started to rise. Again, <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> came to the rescue and clamped down that feeling.</p><p>Finally, Ares said, "Oh". He had a deep, gruff voice and spoke as though he was doing them a favor which Percy assumed came with the whole 'I am a god' package.</p><p>"Yeah, that's so helpful", Percy said before he could shut up.</p><p>"Percy do you know who –", Annabeth started but she was interrupted by Percy.</p><p>"Yeah, I know who he is"</p><p>"Oh, interesting. When Dionysus mentioned his interaction with you, I was quite surprised and didn't want to believe him. Seems that he was correct though", Ares said.</p><p>"Didn't know I was a source of gossip on Olympus", Percy sassed.</p><p>"Why wouldn't you be? You're the first son of barnacle beard in nearly five to six decades, you're bound to attract attention whether you want it or not. I'm surprised Zeus didn't blow a gasket at the revelation. Then again, there was this whole situation with his daughter about four-five years back."</p><p>"Wait. There was another child of the big three? I thought I was the only one recently". Percy was no stranger when it came to people looking at him and gossiping about him. He knew the way people looked at him in camp. There were a plethora of emotions evident which he didn't want to dwell into at the moment. However, he knew, him being a son of Poseidon was a huge thing and not many thought that that would happen. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Ares replied.</p><p>"Oh yes, there was one. Your two friends were there when it all happened after all", he said as he smiled like a maniac.</p><p>He felt Annabeth stiffen beside him and looked at Grover who had become pale and the tell-tale sign of tears had started forming in his eyes. This pissed off Percy, how dare Ares make his friends feel so bad? <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> again activated and calmed him down.</p><p>"Ares, thanks for this but why are you here?</p><p>"Can't I come to see my new little cousin?"</p><p>"Cut it out."</p><p>"Bah. Kids these days. Fine, here's a quest for you – go to the water park, fetch my shield and give it to me."</p><p>"You're a god, get it yourself."</p><p>Ares' eyes glowed a harsher shade of red. "Do you really want to test a god boy?"</p><p>"Not if he's being an ass about it."</p><p>"Percy", Annabeth said. "Shut up."</p><p>"Fine", Percy said as he huffed like a child.</p><p>"Oh? This day keeps getting interesting. A son of Poseidon actually listening to a daughter of Athena. What's next? One of the virgin goddesses finally losing their v-card?", Ares said as he smiled creepily yet again.</p><p>"Lord Ares, we have already been issued a quest by the oracle. We would appreciate it if you could give someone else this opportunity", Annabeth requested. This was honestly an unnecessary waste of time.</p><p>"So you dare to refuse a god's request? I have given you an opportunity to prove yourself yet you spit on it as though it means nothing. Do you really want to go down that line?" Ares threatened. Annabeth immediately paled.</p><p>"Lord Ares, we will find your shield and return it to you. May we know its location please?"</p><p>"Now that's the proper way to speak to a god. Boy, you should learn from her."</p><p>Percy knew that Ares was now goading him on purpose so he decided to keep shut for the moment.</p><p>Ares was disappointed that he didn't get a response from the brat so he continued, "I was on a date with my girlfriend before we were – interrupted. I left my shield on one of the rides at this water park called Waterland."</p><p>"Is there any way to search for the shield since a water park is massive and make a take a long time?" Annabeth asked. She too wanted to get away from the god's presence as soon as possible.</p><p>"I wouldn't do this normally but fine, take this", Ares said and tossed them a keychain. "This will glow depending on how far you are from the shield. The park is a mile west on Delancy."</p><p>The keychain was that of a black yankees baseball cap which was nothing extraordinary. However, Percy doubted that a god would help him out just out of goodness. There was bound to be some strings attached to this. He pocketed the keychain and vowed to use observe on it as soon as he was out of sight to check for any deceptions.</p><p>"Thank you Lord Ares", Annabeth said as she bowed.</p><p>Ares acknowledged Annabeth but then turned to Percy, expecting him to bow to him.</p><p>"Yeah, not happening", Percy said as he just turned and walked out of the diner, dumping a wad of cash on the waitress' hand.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Find Ares's shield and give it to him.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>+2 LUC</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Grover and Annabeth die</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy just accepted the quest.</p><p>Meanwhile, Annabeth and Grover were almost hyperventilating now. They were concerned for Percy after his blatant mockery of a god, an Olympian no less. Ares glared at them with his eyes glowing ominously. They duo quickly muttered their thanks and goodbyes and ran out of the diner, following their friend.</p><p>They shortly caught up with the wayward son of Poseidon who was heading towards the water park. Annabeth was surprised to see that he found the way so quickly but dismissed it since he had become far more intelligent than he was initially.</p><p>"Percy, what was that?" Annabeth demanded just as they caught up to him.</p><p>"If he expects me to bow to him just because he was 'helping' us, I don't want his help. Not to mention the way you guys felt because of what he said. I will not bear it."</p><p>A smile graced the lips of the daughter of Athena. Here was a boy who was ready to fight a god just because said god had hurt her. Who would do something like that for someone who they had just met? Percy was truly an interesting person, she was glad that she had decided to build a friendship with him.</p><p>"Perce, relax. I know you would fight him if it came down to it but you really need to control your mouth. One day a god might just decide to smite you out of anger", Grover said.</p><p>"What did he mean by there being another child of the big three?", Percy asked suddenly.</p><p>"Umm… can we talk about this later?" Grover asked.</p><p>"Sure G-man. I didn't want to force it on you guys. Just curious. If you guys want to talk about it or anything, I'm here. Remember, we are a team."</p><p>Perc then took out the keychain out of his inventory and used <strong>Observe</strong>. The result he saw wasn't something he'd ever expect.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Helm of Darkness</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The Helm allows Hades to melt into shadows and pass through walls. While wearing it he cannot be touched, seen, or heard, and he can radiate fear so intense that it can easily drive a person insane or stop their heart.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Wasn't the Helm of Darkness supposed to be more… intimidating? And not a yankees baseball cap keychain? Was this the symbol of power that wreaked havoc during the Titan War? Question marks appeared on Percy's head and around him as he tried to decipher this joke.</p><p>"Percy, are you alright? You've been staring at the keychain for a few minutes now", Annabeth said.</p><p>"Oh, nothing. Just trying to see what it is and if it does anything special", Percy half-lied. He really did not want to worry his friends with the fact that a twelve-year old teenager was currently carrying a god's symbol of power – capable of killing millions – as a keychain. However, this would be of immense help in bargaining for his mother since he knew that the helm would be precious to Hades. The most concerning question was – how did the Helm of Darkness end up with Ares? His <strong>Observe</strong> had told him that Luke was the one who stole the bolt as well as the helmet. So did this mean that Ares was somehow working with Luke? Or was he secretly supporting Percy? Yeah as if they would happen. The only viable explanation seemed to be that somehow Luke had stolen both symbols of power and Ares was involved in all this. Not to mention, the shoes given to him by Luke which were cursed to drag him to Tartarus. So maybe were Luke and Ares working for someone who was in Tartarus? Only the worst of the worst monsters and divine beings were imprisoned in Tartarus. There were too many questions and far less answers. Percy did not like this. Not at all. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he did not realise that he was just following Grover and Annabeth. He was reminded of that only when his head banged into a gate.</p><p>"Ow!" Percy exclaimed.</p><p>"Finally, he's back in the world of the living", Annabeth deadpanned. "We have been guiding you and trying to talk to you since the past few minutes but you have just been unresponsive. What the Hades were you even thinking?"</p><p>"Nothing. I was just thinking about my mom, the prophecy and what fate has in store for us", Percy said quickly.</p><p>Annabeth's eyes softened. "You must be going through a lot, don't worry. We will found your mother."</p><p>Percy flashed her a grateful smile.</p><p>The doors to the park were locked but Annabeth just cut them apart with her knife. It was far too easy. Inside, huge dry waterslides and tubes and pipes curled everywhere, leading to empty pools. Old tickets and advertisements fluttered around the tarmac. It just looked so creepy. Percy reframed from commenting and settled to look around idly.</p><p>"Percy, point the keychain in all the directions. Wherever the shield is, it should automatically start blipping", Annabeth said.</p><p>Percy waved the keychain around until it started pointing in a particular direction. They started walking towards it while waving around several other rides. Soon, they reached their destination.</p><p>"Oh you've got to be kidding me", Grover said.</p><p>The ride was named – Thrill Ride O' Love. There was an empty pool that was at least fifty metres across and shaped like a bowl. Around the rim, a dozen bronze statues of Cupid stood guard with wings spread and bows ready to fire. Marooned at the bottom of the lake was a pink-and-white two-seater boat with a canopy over the top. In the left seat, glinting in the light, was a shield, a polished circle of bronze.</p><p>"This seems too easy. Are you sure he hasn't lost his mind completely?" Percy asked.</p><p>"Yeah, but I think there's more to it than meets the eye. Have a look around before we go and fetch that stupid thing. I don't know what's with gods losing their weapons all over the mortal realm", Annabeth said in a rare display of frustration against the beings.</p><p>Instead of going through the trouble of finding any signs for traps, Percy simply activated <strong>Observe</strong> and found the source. It seemed that Annabeth was right after all.</p><p>"Annabeth, I think there's some sort of switch here for a trap", Percy called out.</p><p>The blonde walked over to him and looked at it. It was truly a trap and one of Hephaestus' at that.</p><p>"This was put by Hephaestus for Ares and his girlfriend", she said.</p><p>"Oh that's Aphrodite right?"</p><p>"Yes, he must've wanted to catch and embarrass the two of them."</p><p>"Let's just get this over with and return Ares the stupid shield of his."</p><p>"How do you plan on getting it without triggering the trap?"</p><p>Percy simply closed his eyes and focused on the water around him. He called for it and floated it towards the shield. He wrapped the water around it and brought the shield towards him. He then turned to Annabeth with a huge grin, expecting to be patted on the head and told that he did a good job.</p><p>Annabeth just smacked her head. Of course he would find an extremely convenient manner to get out of trouble or finish a task.</p><p>"That was it?" Grover asked. He had been tuning out as well like Percy ever since they had entered the waterpark.</p><p>"Did you listen to anything that we had discussed?" Annabeth asked.</p><p>"Umm no?" Grover replied sheepishly. Annabeth just rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Grover, we are here for you. Don't you worry. Share whatever it is you want man", Percy said.</p><p>Annabeth voiced her agreement.</p><p>"Come on, let's go back to the diner", Percy said.</p><p>They soon reached the diner to find the war god sitting where they had been earlier.</p><p>"You brats already done with it?" Ares asked.</p><p>"No, we're here to dance", Percy replied sarcastically.</p><p>Before Percy could make it any worse, Annabeth shot him a death glare to shut up.</p><p>"Of course, Lord Ares. We got it as soon as we could", Annabeth said. She then handed him the shield. Ares inspected it before he handed it to Percy, surprising the demigod.</p><p>"Take this as a reward for finding it. I have no use for it anymore", Ares said.</p><p>"No thanks" Percy said.</p><p>"Percy", Annabeth warned. Percy just huffed.</p><p>"Fine, thanks <em>Lord</em> Ares", he said with sarcasm dripping in every syllable.</p><p>He ignored the notification that popped up. He first needed the god out of his hair before he did anything else.</p><p>"Feel lucky brat. Not every person has been blessed enough to receive a gift from an Olympian. Cherish this till the end of your days", he said cockily. He then walked out of the diner and vanished into thin air as though he was never there which Percy wished was the case.</p><p>"Come on, let's go back to the train. We'll board the next one to Los Angeles", Annabeth said as she grabbed Percy's hand and forcefully dragged him away.</p><p>Soon, they were on the train, on their way to Los Angeles. They had decided that they won't be making any stops and would head to their intended destination now.</p><p>Grover and Annabeth were asleep almost as soon as they entered the train. Meanwhile, Percy willed the screen into existence. The familiar sea-green screen with the Greek runes running along its edges appeared. He brought up the notification and he nearly, very nearly, yelled in surprise and astonishment. If not for <strong>Gamer's Mind</strong> he suspected that everyone on Olympus would've heard it.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Find Ares's shield and give it to him.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 12 + 2 = 14</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Master Bolt (tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Song of Swords (tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy immediately tapped <strong>Master Bolt</strong> and the information popped up.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Master Bolt</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The Master Bolt is the symbol of Zeus' power, which all other lightning bolts are patterned after. It is the first and most powerful weapon that the Elder Cyclopes made for the Olympian gods.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Currently, it is stored in the handle of the shield given to Percy by Ares.</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>What. The. Hades.</p><p>This essentially completed his quest. Ares was gallivanting the country with the symbols of power of the two of the big three and had, for some reason, given it to Percy wherein he would be dragged to Tartarus to deliver these to the one they were both working under. Could this day get any worse? He really wasn't in the right mindset to think more about the bolt. He decided he would do it later in the morning. He then remembered the other quest reward and pulled up the information for it.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Song of Swords</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>This skill book grants the user knowledge to effectively wield any class of swords at the same level of mastery as the user's primary sword.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Bonus : +5 levels sword fighting.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Learn / No?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy whistled. This was impressive and extremely helpful. He immediately confirmed his choice and gasped as the knowledge flew into his mind. Suddenly, he knew when to use what sword and the most effective way to wield it.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 10 + 5 = 15</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>29% extra damage with swords.</strong>
</p><p>...</p><p>With that done, Percy settled in for the night, wanting to get away from everything briefly. This was too much to bear and he just needed a break. Of course, it wouldn't come to pass.</p><hr/><p>Percy found himself falling into a void with darkness all around. Suddenly, the darkness vanished, replaced with the galaxy. Millions of stars and planets blanketed the night or galaxy? He blinked once or twice to confirm that this wasn't an illusion.</p><p>"The past is where all things began. It is how the present came to be and it is how the future will change. To make a better future is to know the past", a sweet and the most melodious voice Percy had ever heard rang out all around him.</p><p>"The people involved in changing the future know what the past was like which influenced their behaviour. Everything in this universe is inter-related. You just need to connect the dots. Looking back and knowing the shortfalls is a great teacher. Learning from the mistakes of others so that you don't make them is even greater. Experience the past young hero. Experience the<strong> lost tales of Greece</strong>. See how events shaped your present reality. Don't make the same mistakes as others. I truly hope I made the right choice", the voice said as it faded.</p><p>Before Percy could say / think anything, he was again whisked from the place and found himself falling in an endless void. The scenery changed as he found himself in another place. He was sure it was not New York or any other place that he had been to though it was admittedly limited. What had the voice said? Experience the past? Wait. Did that mean he was somehow transported to the past? Surely it must be a joke? Percy tried to call for the screen and sure enough it was there. His powers were all there. He then looked down and found himself wearing a Greek chiton.</p><p>He looked around once again and tried to get his bearings. The air was fresher, the grass lusher and the sky clearer than he had ever seen. What was this place? He walked about for a few minutes until he saw a few people.</p><p>"Hi, what is this place?" Percy asked but unknowingly, he had switched to Ancient Greek.</p><p>"Magnesia my friend. Are you new around here?" asked the stranger.</p><p>It was then Percy realised that they were conversing in Ancient Greek.</p><p>"What year is it?"</p><p>"The golden age. Are you sure you're alright? Do you need anything to eat or drink young one?"</p><p>What. The. Hades? He was in Ancient Greece? That too during the age of the Titans? Was that person so strong that he had been transported to the past? This revelation was too much for Percy as he conveniently blacked out and fell on the ground.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The Void</em>
</p><p>The entity smirked to herself. Out of all the people in all the universes and dimensions she had created, this demigod was far more interesting and amusing than she had ever seen. Maybe this time she wouldn't be disappointed. The time wasn't right for him to meet her. However, soon he would be in her presence. Chaos smiled to herself as she continued watching the adventures of the young demigod.</p><hr/><p>
  <span>
    <strong>Percy's Stats</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD which helps in combat. Blessed by Elpis, the spirit of hope, he has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes. He is also Hestia's champion which grants him control over fire and lets him summon meals.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 12</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp – 2,551 / 2,746</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 700 / 700 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 23 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 18 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 18 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 22 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 18 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 14 (Bonus : +14% chance of better loot)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 12</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $7,200 / D30</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : Demigod</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <strong>Skills</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 15)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 25)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 7 - 9 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 7 - 34 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Taunt (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 5)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Summon Meals (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Makarios tis Elpis (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chores :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Cleaning Dishes (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max level)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God </strong>
  <strong>(Gives +20 STR, VIT &amp; DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 17)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Blood Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dimension Create (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ice Control (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Steam Control (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control (Level 8)</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>
    <strong>A/N</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <em>I hope this chapter was good. There are a few things that I want to play around with, hopefully they'll fit in well. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Do review and follow!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Until next time.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Meeting Grandpa</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>
    <strong>A/N</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh well, hope you all enjoy this. </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Disclaimer : I do not own PJO or any of its characters.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 11 : Meeting Grandpa</strong>
</p><p>Percy woke up with his head spinning. He thought that him being in Ancient Greece was just a dream. However, when he opened his eyes and saw his surroundings, he knew he was so wrong. There were vases around him with intricate designs embellished on them. There was no concept of doors in the place which he was in. It was entirely open with different rooms connected to the one he was in. Further, there were several shelves with different household items stacked on them. As Percy looked around, he realised this was nothing that he was accustomed to. Just then, a person walked in.</p><p>"So you are awake young one. How are you feeling?" the man asked, again in Ancient Greek.</p><p>"Fine, thanks. But, where am I?", Percy asked.</p><p>"As I said earlier, Magnesia."</p><p>"Uh, is this someplace important?"</p><p>The man looked at Percy as if he was an idiot before he finally replied, "If by important you mean Mt. Othyrs then yes, this is an important place."</p><p>Percy just looked at him and contemplated. He had surely heard this name somewhere but the question was where? He kept racking his brain until he got the answer. Of course, it was the base of the Titan's during the birth of the elder gods and during the Titan war. What was he doing here? Why had the unknown person sent him to the past? His brain filled with hundreds of questions until it could not take it any longer and decided to pass out again. The other man merely chuckled.</p><p>'This one sure is unique', he thought before he placed Percy back on the floor and covered him with a cloth. 'Sleep well young one, there's a lot that you need to see and learn'. He then walked out.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Present Time (On the train)</em>
</p><p>It was still night as the train made its way through the American States. It passed through fields and fields of crops through silently. If one looked inside a particular cabin, he/she would be greeted to the sight of three teenagers passed out on the bed, sleeping soundly with the most innocent and carefree expressions on their young faces. Little did he/she know that they had far more pressing issues to take care of than a normal teenager ever would.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Ancient Greece</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You have slept in a bed! All HP and MP restored.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy swiped the notification away as per habit and groaned. He sat up and looked around. Sure enough, he was still in the place where he had passed out. It was night time right now and he could see torches lit just outside the place where he was sleeping. It casted an eerie glow in the darkness. Percy slowly got up and made his way to what he assumed was the balcony. He did not know how long would he be in this place or what he was supposed to do. He sighed. He looked up at the night sky and his breath hitched. There were millions of stars that blanketed the night sky while the moon glowed in all its glory, making it the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. This was something that he could not see in New York or Long Island. Millennia of pollution really screwed up the environment. He was snapped out of his musings when he heard a voice behind him.</p><p>"A beautiful sight isn't it?" asked the same man from before.</p><p>"Truly", Percy replied with a smile on his face as he kept looking up.</p><p>"Lord Krios really looks after his domain".</p><p>Percy thought for a moment. Krios was one of the Titans who ruled over the stars and constellations as far as he could remember. Since this was the Golden Age, the Titans were the rulers.</p><p>"So what are you doing here, young one?" the man asked curiously.</p><p>"I lost my way. I do not know how I ended up here", Percy replied. Technically, he wasn't lying since he did get lost and had no clue as to how or why he was here in the first place.</p><p>"It must be fate that you came here then. Nothing else can ever describe such actions", he said. For a moment, Percy really thought the Fates were playing a joke on him but dismissed the thought. Surely, they won't do something like that. Right?</p><p>"Oh, where are my manners. I am Minoclas, what's your name?"</p><p>"Perseus". Since he was in Ancient Greece, Percy decided to use his given name instead of the one he asked everyone to call him.</p><p>"Quite a name. Do you know the meaning behind it?"</p><p>"Not really, I never thought about it."</p><p>"It means – to destroy. Surely, there must be something about you that made your parents give you such a name. Who knows?", he asked no-one in particular.</p><p>Percy was shocked. Why on earth would his mom name him 'the destroyer'? He sighed and let it slide. There were lots of mysteries that he didn't want to uncover. For now, he needed to find a way to get back to his time so that he could go on and save his mother from her terrible fate. Who knows how the god of the Underworld was treating her? He just knew that she deserved the best and not be in a place such as the realm of the dead.</p><p>"Well, if you're hungry, let me know. I caught some fresh meat today so it would be delicious", Minoclas said as he walked inside the house. Percy thanked him and remained standing outside, contemplating his next action.</p><p>Now that he was alone, his thoughts returned to him and he was scared. He did not know what he needed to do or how to get back. He was stuck in an ancient time with the Titans in power with no way back to his time. He had to go and save his mother. He needed some help. In his desperation, he did something that he had never done before – he prayed. He prayed to the Fates and whatever deity was higher than them for some help or guidance for his next step. Even if he was intelligent now, nothing could ever prepare him for the situation in which he was stuck right now.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The Void</em>
</p><p>"Grandmother, don't you think he needs a bit of help?"</p><p>"Nonsense, he will be fine."</p><p>"He is praying. For. The. First. Time. Ever", Clotho said whilst emphasising each word. She too was shocked and could only imagine what Percy was going through. A 12 year old, dumped into the past with no clue what to do? That was bound to happen.</p><p>Chaos pouted. For the creator, she was jolly and not stuck-up or pompous in any manner whatsoever (*coughs* Zeus *coughs*).</p><p>"Fine", she huffed and waved her hand. "This will help him."</p><p>"Grandmother", Lachesis said in a warning tone.</p><p>Chaos rolled her eyes, "fine, I will give him a reward as well for it. Happy?"</p><p>The three sisters nodded happily. They sometimes had to take care that their grandmother didn't go overboard when it came to things like this. Sure, she was serious and every bit regal when it came to meeting the other entities in the multi-verses but when it came to her immediate family, she always looked for opportunities to pull their leg; Percy being the point in case.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Magnesia, Golden Age</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Alert!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Experience the beginning of the fall of the Titan King without your identity being discovered.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Rewards –</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$20,000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 5,000</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Failure – </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Death</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Accept / Decline?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy was ecstatic and quickly accepted the quest. Finally, he knew what he had to do before he could go back to save his mom, that's what he assumed. Since the unknown female did say that he had to experience the past. Hopefully, this would be the only one.</p><p>Now, he first had to come up with a plan and find a way to enter the stronghold of the Titans. It was surely not a cakewalk given the fact that the so called 'Golden Age' was due to the unavailability of knowledge to the masses courtesy of the Titans. They would surely want others staying away from the divine. Percy was still standing outside in the night sky, lost in contemplation. He was still thinking of ways to infiltrate the palace until he had in idea. He smacked his head at his forgetfulness and stupidity at times. He looked around to make sure that he was alone and then vanished from sight.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Alternate Dimension</em>
</p><p>Even though he was in the alternate dimension, everything was the same as per norm. He pulled out the <strong>Resurrection Stone</strong> from his inventory and put the ring on his finger. He then proceeded to put his power into it and summoned Alecto.</p><p>Alecto looked around her and sighed before turning to Percy, "what did you do now? Why are we in Magnesia?"</p><p>Percy smiled sheepishly and proceeded to inform her of the events that transpired which led him to his current predicament.</p><p>Alecto looked at him, took a deep breath and then said, "let me get this straight. You went to sleep, some unknown entity spoke to you, dumped you here – in the past – and now, wants you to infiltrate the palace of the Titans? Remind me again, why did I end up serving you?"</p><p>Percy winced. Alecto really didn't hold back when it came to things like these. On the bright side, she was now used to him and weird things happening around him so it was fine, he assumed. Hopefully.</p><p>"So now, we need to come up with a plan to get inside the palace. Thankfully for you, I have a rough idea of its layout. Don't ask how, I just know. Now, do you know how to use the Mark? Don't look so surprised, it is our power after all that you possess, if we can't detect it, who can?"</p><p>Percy nodded dumbly.</p><p>"I don't know how to use it", he said.</p><p>Alecto rolled her eyes, "of course you don't. One of the most versatile powers with myriad uses and yet you don't know how to use it. Incredible. Now, we are going to train in this so that you can disguise yourself once we get there. We do not know whether anyone will remember either of us in the off-chance we are detected. I do not want someone running after me millennia later and I am sure, you don't want that either."</p><p>She was really on a roll today.</p><p>"Come on, let's start your training. No one is bound to come here. I want to be out of this period as soon as possible. The Golden Age wasn't really my taste even though there were lots of deaths and souls to punish. The old boss wasn't as considerate as the new one; not that the new one is any better but eh, we got our share of worship."</p><p>With her tirade finally over, the duo got to work on Percy's powers.</p><p>A few hours later, Percy was panting. Alecto was a slave driver. She thoroughly enjoyed training Percy and depriving him of all his MP. Further, the moment she found out that Percy's MP was restored when he was drenched, she didn't waste a moment in upping the training regimen. To be honest, it was quite a weird one now that Percy thought about it. He was given the most awkward instructions like 'think about your nose getting pudgy' or 'ears pointed' or 'become shorter' etc etc. At one point, he had messed up things so bad that even the ever serious Alecto had burst out laughing by how ridiculous he looked. That was one can of worms that he wasn't going to open at all.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 3 + 3 = 6 (24% proficiency)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Even though it was not much, given the amount of time Percy had spent, it was quite good. He was now able to shift a relative portion of his facial features and very little of his physique. If someone new met him before and after, that person would recognise him but with a bit difficulty which was fine with Percy. However, he needed a better control if he had to not be recognised at all but alas, he did not have much time. He needed to finish the quest and get out of here as soon as possible. This was still workable so he would do his best.</p><p>Soon, Percy was out of the alternate dimension. He had dismissed Alecto since he did not want to attract any attention whatsoever and headed back to the place where he was staying. He had summoned some fresh meat and other delicacies using Hestia's blessings and was taking it to Minoclas as a small thank-you gift.</p><p>The night passed blissfully with the pair talking about Greece and each other's life. Percy had to lie for the most part since he wasn't from that time and hence, had to come up with things on the fly.</p><p>The next morning, Percy thanked Minoclas for his hospitality and was on his way to Mt. Othyrs. He had taken the general directions from Alecto so he didn't have to walk around like a headless chicken. His trip was quite interesting to say the least. On his way, he came across several breath-taking places. The flora and fauna was rich with birds chirping everywhere. He was mesmerised. He even came across a waterfall surrounded by lush green gas and beautiful flowers all around. Several deer were drinking from it whilst some horses grazed on the meadow. Percy wasted no time in running and jumping into the waterfall. He was a little tired and the water worked wonders in taking it all away and injecting him with a fresh dose of energy.</p><p>He continued his journey until night came. Percy had built a campfire a bit far off from the main travel paths since he needed to speak to Alecto. He had covered quite a bit of distance during the day but nothing was in sight till now. He summoned her from the ring and beckoned her to sit nearby whilst he summoned some food for the two of them.</p><p>"Hey, how far are we from Mt. Othyrs?", Percy asked.</p><p>Alecto drummed her fingers in thought before she answered, "we should be there by late afternoon tomorrow. You can rest up and then head inside during the night. However, I have got to ask – what are we even going to do there in the first place?"</p><p>Percy shrugged.</p><p>Alecto looked at him and blinked. She then wacked him on his head before screeching, "you idiot! Why didn't I ask you this before?! The entity asked you to sneak in but what are we even supposed to do after that? Did you even ask her this? Are you stupid?"</p><p>Percy laughed nervously, "umm…"</p><p>"Knew it", Alecto deadpanned, "out of billions of people and so many deities and others, I had to get stuck with the biggest idiot of them all. Honestly, I feel I have the worst luck in the Greek world."</p><p>"Am I that bad?"</p><p>"You got ready to infiltrate the stronghold of the most powerful people in all of Greece where, I might add, the King lives as well who has divine authority over one of the strongest domains known to the supernatural. To make matters worse, you have no idea how to get inside or what to do there. Your only explanation is that you were told by some unknown, powerful deity that you need to go there. How naïve or stupid can one be?"</p><p>Percy pouted, "fine, I get your point. But we'll figure things out when we get there."</p><p>Alecto just smacked her hand on her head as she cursed her luck, or rather, lack thereof.</p><p>"Let's just train with the Mark for now. You need all the practice you can get."</p><p>The demigod agreed reluctantly and headed to the <strong>Alternate Dimension</strong>.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>~Next Morning~</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 6 + 2 = 8 (32% proficiency)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>'I swear she just wants to get rid of me as soon as she can so that she can be free', Percy thought. Alecto had exhausted his MP so many times that he lost count. He had to keep drenching himself time and time again just so that he could keep up with her training regimen. Moreover, his progress had slowed down now since he had reached a higher level so getting to the next one required more time and practice.</p><p>Around midday, his destination finally came into view. He could just see long towers if he squinted hard, otherwise, nothing else was visible. Alecto was so wrong when she told him that he'd reach by late afternoon.</p><p>*huff* 'Never should have doubted her', Percy thought as he fell unceremoniously near a tree. He had been walking and walking and walking but the tower was still there and the base was still nowhere in sight. It was late afternoon now and it still looked like it was miles away from him. Did this damned thing keep moving? He decided to summon Alecto to ask for further instructions since he was out of ideas on what to do next.</p><p>"Ah so we are here, you made it in good time Percy", Alecto said with a ghost of a smile on her face. She ruined it with her next sentence, "looks like you really had a death wish."</p><p>"Are you really looking out for me?"</p><p>"Well, I did bring you here out of consideration and tell you the location of the Underworld in the modern age."</p><p>"But the stupid building is so far off", Percy pointed in the distance.</p><p>Alecto chuckled and said, "a common mistake. Why do you think this place is so empty for miles out?"</p><p>Now that Percy looked around, he realised that it was completely silent. There were no birds chirping or animals in sight. It was as though he was in the other dimension.</p><p>"We have reached. You just need to know the location, that's the secret. Everything else is merely an illusion of the Mist. It is highly concentrated due to the beings present here and thus acts like a veil to deter people and animals from coming anywhere close to this place. The Titans aren't exactly fond of others in general, well most of them. The tower lies just beyond this point. You have stopped just at the edge. Let's rest for now before going in. You will need all the strength you have as well as refill your water in case things go south and you need the extra help. Though the chances for you surviving at the moment are in the lower single digits."</p><p>"Thanks for the support", Percy said. He summoned a meal for the two of them as they rested and waited for Selene to start her journey across the skies.</p><p>Soon, just as it was about to get dark, Alecto ushered him to get a move on. They slowly made their way through the trees the Fury had pointed out and suddenly, the scenery changed all around Percy. He looked ahead of him and his jaw dropped. Alecto too was not faring any better.</p><p>The place was huge and terrifying. The palace itself, reminded Percy of a very oversized mausoleum, was made completely from black marble, which, according to Percy, made it both terrible and beautiful, made of fear and shadow. The palace's glimmering black towers reached the clouds, like greedy fingers, reaching out for the stars. This was Mt. Othyrs in all its glory.</p><p>"Ahh no matter how many times I look at this, the affect will never get old", Alecto said.</p><p>Percy didn't have any words. None were needed. This 'palace' screamed power and wealth all over.</p><p>"Come on, let's go", Alecto said. She had already started walking towards the castle and it seemed as though she would leave him alone if he did not hurry up. He quickly followed her. They walked to one of the sides of the castle after which, Alecto turned towards him.</p><p>"Change your appearance as we had discussed earlier", she commanded. Alecto too had changed her appearance and looked almost like Ms. Dodds albeit with a few differences here and there. Percy too focused on his appearance and one by one changed his body into whatever random thing he could think of. The end result elicited another bark of laughter from Alecto who did her best to quieten.</p><p>"Sometimes, I feel insulted that you have this power whilst the other times, I am glad since I get to have such an entertainment", she idly said. She then released her wings.</p><p>"Thanks, I guess?", Percy replied.</p><p>"Come on, grab on to me. We will fly over these gates. There is a blind spot which I used to use when I had to travel and since its night, I will be able to blend in well without alerting any of the deities. They are already used to me visiting every now and then since Iapetus too lives here."</p><p>"If you're sure", Percy said and raised his hands to be carried inside. Alecto got the message as she flapped her wings, got hold of him and flew inside. True to her word, Alecto had stuck close to the shadows and whizzed past the sentries that were patrolling the place. There weren't many since no one would be stupid enough to try and break into the house of the strongest beings on the planet except for him of course.</p><p>After a few minutes of flying and navigating through endless towers, the duo finally reached what seemed like the main building. They gently landed nearby and hid behind some pillars. They quietly made their way inside and again, Percy's breath hitched. The main pavilion was ringed with Greek columns, the floor was polished black marble, and a cold wind blew down the hallway. Green Fire burnt in braziers along the walls, which glowed against the marble floor. In-between the braziers were black marble statues of different Titans, Percy assumed.</p><p>From there, Alecto moved him through the place under the cover of darkness; making sure not to alert anyone. They soon reached the main hall if the twelve thrones gave any indication. Percy scanned the place but it was empty save for an individual sitting on a throne and another person who was standing in front of him. They seemed to be engaged in a conversation. Percy squinted his eyes and looked at the throne. The throne looked as though it was cut out of a gigantic piece of pure black obsidian, and encrusted with gold and diamonds. It was magnificent to say the least.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!<br/></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 4 + 2 = 6</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>15% chance of not getting caught</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>15% chance of critical strike</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy dismissed the notification and looked ahead and decided to use <strong>Observe</strong>.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Kronos – titan of time</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP - ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Atlas – titan of endurance, general of Kronos</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP - ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP - ?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy gaped. He thought he had seen it all but apparently he hadn't. As he looked closely at Kronos, he could describe the titan lord as evil in all aspects. He had brutal golden eyes, black curly hair and a long, pointy beard. Beside him lay a six foot long scythe. Just by looking at it made Percy's blood turn to ice. He guessed it was the very weapon forged by Gaea, used to cut Ouranos and later Kronos. He shivered subconsciously. He did not want to fight the Titan Lord or his general. He was sure he'd die. Percy strained to hear what they were talking about, luckily for him their voices started rising. Now lay the next problem, he could not understand what they were talking about.</p><p>He turned to Alecto and said, "Do you understand what they're saying?"</p><p>"A little bit, they hardly spoke to me in that language. It was mostly Greek for me. This was reserved just for the Titan Council and their most important children like Atlas."</p><p>Percy was in a bind. How would he be able to eavesdrop if he didn't know the language only?</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The Void</em>
</p><p>"Grandmother", Atropos said in a warning tone, "how could you forget the most important thing?!" Chaos was forgetful sometimes when it came to family since she messed around quite a bit. It was surprising that the universe managed to survive till now.</p><p>"He he he", Chaos laughed nervously. She then waved a hand and chirped, "Done!"</p><p>Atropos just sighed. The three sisters had been almost babysitting their grandmother to ensure everything went smoothly with Percy because knowing Chaos, she would endanger him for her own amusement. Atropos wasn't ready to take any risks even though Chaos herself had selected Percy for what was to come in the future.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Mt. Othyrs</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ping!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Tongue of the Old Times (tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Percy was surprised. He quickly tapped it and sure enough, what he needed was there.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Tongue of the Old Times (Level – Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The ancient language that Gaea spoke to the Titans, Elder Cyclops, and Hekatonkheires before the birth of the Olympian gods.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>He quickly sent a thank you prayer to the Fates since he needed this desperately to finish his quest. He then turned his attention to the conversation.</p><p>"….. time approaches", Kronos was saying. His voice was unspeakably old, cold, and powerful, like knives scraping against stone.</p><p>"What do you desire my lord?" Atlas replied. His voice was very intimidating as well: though it was not as creepy as Kronos', it was deeper, lower, and stronger, like the earth itself was talking.</p><p>"The prophecy issued by father and mother. We need to avert it. None of my kin can be born."</p><p>"But isn't Lady Rhea already with your child?"</p><p>"Sadly but there is nothing that I can do. It will be immortal like us but it is prophesised that one of them would topple me. I cannot have that happen. Even marrying Rhea was not a part of the plans but alas, aunt really has a way around things it seems."</p><p>"So what do you suggest my lord?"</p><p>"The only option left is to devour them…. Who's there?" Kronos suddenly asked as he looked at the direction Alecto and Percy were hiding. Atlas immediately turned and Percy gulped when he saw him. Atlas looked like a living statue, with dark slicked-back hair, grey eyes like stone, light brown skin, and a very muscular build. He was very tall and extremely muscular with a brutal face, and huge shoulders. Atlas had a regal expression, a cold proud look in his eyes which looked evil.</p><p>"I think it's time we took off", Alecto said to Percy.</p><p>Percy nodded immediately as the duo started running towards the exit. Alecto could not open her wings right now since it was unique to the Furies and it would put them in danger. The Mist was out of the option since the Titans had far greater control over it than she did.</p><p>"Hurry up, what's taking you so long?" she yelled. Both of them were running at their top speed but it didn't seem to be of much use since Atlas had almost caught up with them in a few bounds.</p><p>"Now now, it is rude to visit the king, not greet him and instead spy on him. I feel some divine energy from you boy while the other feels like a monster. Such puny people. I do not want my king to waste his energy on such frivolous things. Further, I will enjoy extracting the information from you", he said in Ancient Greek. It seemed that he was being considerate by speaking to the duo in a language that they would understand according to him but the truth was that the old tongue was extremely limited to a select few individuals and no one else possessed its knowledge.</p><p>Atlas was upon them and swung his fist at the ground, hoping to crush Alecto and Percy in a single blow. They quickly dived to the side to avoid it.</p><p>"You have some good reflexes but I wonder, would that be enough?" Atlas taunted Percy.</p><p>The demigod knew that he didn't stand a chance against a Titan of Atlas' calibre. Suddenly, he had an epiphany. The Helm of Darkness of course! He could blend with the shadows and pass through quickly without being detected. Why had he not thought about this before? He really was an idiot. He had two top tier weapons with him and yet it didn't strike him earlier. Percy quickly reached into his inventory and pulled out the key-chain. It glowed an eerie black. He did not know how to expand it but Alecto would know surely. At the same time, the person in question spared a glance at Percy. Her eyes widened in astonishment as she immediately realised what he was holding. It was the very bane of her trouble. She decided against questioning him about it for now since there were more pressing matters to attend to.</p><p>"Alecto, how do you use this?", Percy yelled as he dodged another blow that cracked the marble beneath him.</p><p>"Pour your energy into it. It will expand. Put it on your head and jump into the shadow", she replied urgently.</p><p>Percy did as she asked and immediately, the keychain expanded and grew until it was the size of a bike helmet. He put it on and it reduced in size to accommodate his head. It fit him perfectly. However, the moment it was on him, Percy froze up momentarily in terror. The Helm was attacking the darkest parts of his mind and he wanted to throw it away but he had to bear it. Percy ran towards Alecto, grabbed a hold of her hand and jumped into a shadow. They were consumed by it and he started running towards the exit. It seemed that the Helm was working since Atlas was now looking around, trying to find both of them while Kronos watched with interest. Soon, they were out of the main building and Percy dismissed the helm back to his inventory. Alecto released her wings, grabbed Percy and flew off into the night, putting as much distance as she could between them and Mt. Othyrs. As soon as they cleared the walls, Percy's surroundings were replaced with the similar void where he first met the unknown person.</p><p>"You have done well, demigod", the voice said from all around him once again. Alecto was there too this time and she looked alarmed.</p><p>"Don't fear me Alecto. I am with Perseus. I simply wish for him to be stronger and wiser for what is to come. This was but merely a glance at the past. He will need more experience and lessons like this moving forward. You feel it, don't you? The inevitable change, the war and the prophecy. You were there after all. It is beginning. Train the demigod, be with him and offer him counsel. He will need it. Do not disappoint me", the voice said until it disappeared as quickly as it first appeared.</p><p>Again, Percy felt himself falling until he woke up with a start in the train where he had last gone to sleep. Alecto was nowhere to be seen. He assumed she was back in the ring and it was all a dream. However the notification that popped up removed all traces of doubt from his mind.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Quest Complete!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Experience the beginning of the fall of the Titan King without your identity being discovered.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>$ : 7,200 + 20,000 = 27,200</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>XP : 2,551 + 5,000 = 1,375 / 4,218</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>..</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level Up!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 14</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 600 + 150 = 750 / 750</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 700 + 150 = 850 / 850</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ability Points : 12 + 4 = 16</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>..</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Battle Instincts (Tap for more information)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Intrigued, Percy tapped it.</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Your ADHD is replaced with Battle Instincts. You will now have enhanced senses, increased prowess in battle and strategy. You will also be able to make more effective plans.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New skill unlocked!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Battle Strategy</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Effectively make and change plans during one-on-one combat or while leading your troops.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level 4 – 12% chance of success</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>Woah! Percy was truly impressed. Seems like this outing yielded quite favourable results for him. He was happy and satisfied. Not to mention the $20,000 reward but then again, he was up against the strongest Titans with minimal chances of survival so it was fair. He dismissed the screen and looked at the time. It was still 3am which meant that there was time dilation involved since he had spent close to two days in Magnesia. Percy then got up and vanished into the <strong>Alternate Dimension</strong>. He knew he needed to have a chat with the Fury about the recent events.</p><p>"Perseus Jackson, how the Hades did you have the Helm of Darkness?! I had trusted you when you said you didn't have it. What's next? Do you have Zeus' Master Bolt also?", Alecto screeched the moment she appeared from the ring.</p><p>"Relax! Let me explain what happened. I didn't exactly have the time to speak to you about things", Percy said as he tried to placate the Kindly One.</p><p>Alecto nodded as Percy launched into his tale about the recent events that led up to him travelling back in time. Alecto kept quiet for the most part except when she had a question or needed some clarification. Soon, he was done and looked at Alecto, waiting for her to say something.</p><p>"You really have some rotten luck", she finally said.</p><p>Just then, Percy recalled the last bit of the conversation they had with the unknown entity.</p><p>"What was she saying about prophecy, war etc?", he asked.</p><p>Alecto closed her mouth and looked everywhere but at him. She was lost in thought before she answered, "it is not my place to tell you this. You should ask Chiron or your father."</p><p>"But why?" Percy insisted.</p><p>"It just isn't."</p><p>"Fine. By the way, how was I able to use the Helm despite being a son of Poseidon?"</p><p>Alecto smiled, "Now, that's a good question. I was waiting for you to ask it. You see, the elder Olympians were born from Kronos and Rhea and weren't Titans though they should have been. They had a unique composition. The weapons of the big three were built in-tune with that and could be used by those with the same signature. Since they were siblings, their signature was identical in some aspects. You being their child, also carried the signature but less of it since you're half-god. Therefore, you were able to wield the helm though it was not as effective as it would be if used by a son of Hades."</p><p>Percy 'oohed' at that. He hadn't ever read about this or knew about this. Any new knowledge was always welcome though.</p><p>"So now, what do we do with the Helm?", Percy asked the million-dollar question.</p><p>"I propose we go to the Underworld where you try and bargain with Hades. I am sure he kidnapped your mother as a bargaining chip. You might just be able to negotiate her release."</p><p>Percy nodded. It was viable. The faster they went, the better it was anyways. They were still a few hours out of Los Angeles. Percy then dismissed Alecto and returned to his dimension. First things first, he needed a break.</p><hr/><p>
  <span>
    <strong>A/N</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <em>A relatively short chapter but I didn't want to put too many things into it at once. We'll be back to canon in the next update!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Do let me know your thoughts for this chapter!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Until next time!</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>
    <strong>Percy's Stats</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus Jackson</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Species : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Title : Son of Poseidon </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. Blessed by Elpis, the spirit of hope, he has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes. He is also Hestia's champion which grants him control over fire and lets him summon meals. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Level - 14</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Exp – 1,375 / 4,218</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>HP : 750 / 750 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>MP : 850 / 850 (+ 2000)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>STR : 23 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>VIT : 18 (+ 20) (Bonus : 50 HP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>DEX : 18 (+2 + 20) (Bonus : +10% HP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>INT : 22 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>WIS : 18 (Bonus : +10% MP regenerated / min)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LUC : 14 (Bonus : +14% chance of better loot)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Points : 16</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Money : $27,200 / D30</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Status : Demigod </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <strong>Skills</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Combat :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sword Fighting (Level 15)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Inherited :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ancient Greek (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Tongue of the Old Times (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Modern English (Level 25)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Swimming (Level 7 - 9 km/hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Breathe Underwater (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Running (Level 7 - 34 km / hr)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Storms (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>General :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Observe (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sneaking (Level 6)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Critical Strike (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Taunt (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mark of the Furies (Level 8)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mage Armor (Level 5)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Summon Meals (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Makarios tis Elpis (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Battle Strategy (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chores :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Cleaning Dishes (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Passive :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Gamer's Mind (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Son of the Sea God (Gives +20 STR, VIT &amp; DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Battle Instincts (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Abilities :</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Control (Level 17)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spikes (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Blood Control (Level 1)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Water Spear (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dimension Create (Max)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Ice Control (Level 4)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Steam Control (Level 3)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Fire Control (Level 8)</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>